130 ACANTHOPTERTGII. 



occupying ratlier above tliree-fourths of the lengtli of the fin and are receivable into a gi-oove, interspinons 

 membrane deeply emarginate, soft portion of the fin similar to that of the anal and almost square : anal spines 

 of moderate strength the central one the longest and equal to two-thirds the length of the rays : caudal cut 

 nearly square. ,S'«(Zes— rather smaller on the nape than on the body, some extend over the bases of the dorsal 

 and anal rays', an enlarged one at the angle of the ventral fin and another between the two ventrals. Lateral. 

 //„, .—interrupted at about the 36th scale. C'o?OMrs— greenish-brown with brassy reflections, vertically marbled 

 with three broad patchy bands, and a fourth crosses the free portion of the tail, or occasionally there exists a 

 black blotch there, some narrow dark bands radiate from the eye. Narrow bands of spots across the soft 

 portions of the dorsal, anal, and the caudal fins. 



In Assam and to the east of Bengal, as already observed (p. 1-29), the bones of the head are more 

 strono-ly serrated than is usually seen in the other parts of India. 



° Blceker has discriminated between the Navdus marmoratiis C. V. of India, and the N. nelidosus. Gray 



and Hardw. which inhabits the islands of the Sound. Of this latter he observes amongst other peculiarities that 



its scales are |f:-P-, being much fewer in number than in N. marmoratus. In examining 10 specimens of this 



latter I find as follows : , „ „ „ ^ - 



Five from Madras and Malabar L. r. |f, |i, -J|, %%, -11, L. tr. 5|-6/I7-20. 



Five „ Assam .... L. r. |f, ^-f, M, |i, ff , L. tr. .5i-6/18-l'.t 



Bal'dat.—Yi-csh and brackish waters of India and Burma, attaining at least 7 inches m length. It is 

 common in ditches and inundated fields where it preys on small Cijijrinidce. It is exceedingly tenacious of life. 



Genus, 4— Pristolkpis, Jerdon (1848). 



Catopra, Bleeker (18.i;l) : Paranandus, Day. 



Branchiosterjah six : pseudohrancMce absent. Eyes lateral. Month moderately protractile. Opercle with two 

 jlat (generally hifid) spines : preopercle and preorbital mostly serrated. Teeth viUiform on the jaus and palate, viUiform 

 'or (jlohidar on the vomer, obtusely globular on the base of the tongue, on the roof of the cavity of the mmith (pre- 

 sphenoid), and sometimes on the vomer. Anal fin with three or four spines. Scales ctenoid, large, extended on to the 

 int&rhranchial membrane. Lateral-line interrupted. Pyloric appendages two. 



Geographical distribution.— Fresh waters of the plains and hills of India, Burma, Siam and the Malay 

 Archipelago : those with viUiform teeth in the adult on the vomer would appear to belong to India proper : 

 those with globular teeth on that bone to Bmma and the Eastwards. 



SYNOPSIS OF SPECIES. 



A. With viUiform teeth on vomer (Paranandus). 



1. Pristolepis marginatus, D. -Lf:f|, A. |, preorbital, preopercle, sub- and inter-opercles serrated. Wyna:id. 



2. Pristolepis Malabaricus, D. Tiin^ ^- I- Malabar ghauts descending to the plains. 



B. With globular teeth on vomer (Catopra). 



3. Pristolepis nandioidt's, D. ^:\i, A. f . Burma and to the East as far as the ilalay Ai-chipelago. 



A. With viUiform teeth on the vomer (Paranandus). 



1. Pristolepis marginatus. 



Jerdon, Madras Journal, Lit. and Sc. 1848, p. 141, and Ann. and Mag. Nat. Hist. 18G.5, xvi, p. 298; 

 Day, Pishes of Malabar, p. 131. . 



Catopra tetraeanthus, Giinther, Proc. Zool. Soc. 1862, p. 192, pi. xxvi, fig. B. 



B. vi, D. H:1I. P- 14, V. 1/5, A. -J, L. r. ff, L. tr. 3|/I1. 



Len<Tth of head 3\ to 3|, of caudal 1/5, height of body, 3f in the total length. i>6— diameter 3i to 3= 

 of leno-th of head, 1 diameter from end of snout, and 2/3 of a diameter apart. Length of head rather exceeds 

 its height Lower iaw very slightly the longer: premaxillaries reach to opposite the anterior margin oi the 

 orbit -"the maxilla to below the front edge of the eye. Preopercle serrated at its angle and also tor a short 

 distance along its vertical border : sub- and inter-opercles likewise with some serrations at then- approximating 

 an'o-les ■ opercle with two flat spines, the lower of which may be bifid : preorbital sometmies rather strongly 

 s-n-ated Teef/t -villi f.jrm in the jaws, with an outer rather widely placed row of curved ones : villitorm teeth 

 on the Vomer and palatines, and granular at the root of the tongue and on the roof of the cavity oi the 

 mouth (pre-sphenoid). 2^//is-dorsal spines rather strong, increasing m length to the iittli : three last anal 

 snines of about the same length : caudal rounded. Scales— two entire and two half rows between the lateral, 

 line and the base of the dorsal fin : 13 rows between the base of the ventral and that of the dorsal fan. Lateral- 

 ?,-»e -interrupted opposite the last third of the soft dorsal on the twenty-first scale, tolours—as m the next 



^^'''''^'Ealitat.-This form, originally described by Jerdon, was obtained from the " river of Manontoddy, 

 flowing into the Cauvery : in the Cotiaddy river in North Malabar, and in the stream that runs near Canote 

 in the same district." I have obtained one in Malabar 3f inches in length, with the P. Malabancus. I 



