FAMILY, XXYII-GOBIID^. 305 



upper jaw enlarged and stronger than the others : those in the hnver jaiv, in a single horizontal rov:, of ahotif eqrcal 

 size and having a pair of posterior canines near the symphysis. Two dorsal fins, the anterior with five flexible spines : 

 the second many rayed and of about equal number to, or rather more than those in the anal : pectoral with its basal 

 portion muscular and generally free : ventrals more or less united : caicdal ivith its inferior edge obliquely truncated. 

 Air-vessel present or absent. Scales when present rudimentary or small, generally largest posteriorly. 



It should be i-emarked that although the eyes are very prominent during life, this peculiarity is not so 

 well seen after death. Had the eyes of B. Dussumieri, tenuis, Boddaerti and glaiwiis in my figures been a little 

 more prominent than delineated, accuracy as to what exists during life would not have been infringed upon. 



These fishes are essentially dwellers in the mud, and if placed in an aquarium in deep water appear to 

 be rapidly drowned. 



SYNOPSIS OP SPECIES. 



1. Boleophthalmus tenuis, D. 5/28-29, A. 2G. Height of body 10 in total length. Teeth pointed. 

 Gray along the back, white beneath, black sjJots on head, bands and blotches on body, end of dorsal and upper 

 edge of caudal with black margins. Sind. 



2. Boleophthalmus Dussumieri, D. 5/27-28, A. 2G. Teeth in lower jaw with a slight lobe. First dorsal 

 neai'ly as high as body, not attached to second dorsal. Gray, black spots on first dorsal and white ones on 

 second dorsal. Bombay and Sind. 



3. Boleophthalmus dentatus, D. 5/27, A. 26-27. Teeth on lower jaw with a slight lobe. First doi-sal 

 hia-her than the body and connected to the second. Gray, black spots on first dorsal and white ones on second 

 dorsal. Bombay and Sind. 



4. Boleophthalmus glaucus, D. 5/27, A. 25. Thu-teen large teeth in front of upper jaw and 13 lateral ones : 

 25 sub-horizontal, equal sized, and pointed ones in lower jaw. Height of second dorsal half length of head. 

 Greenish, dorsals longitudinally banded : upper two-thirds of caudal dark and spotted. Andamans. 



5. Boleophthalmus viridis,T>. 5/26, A. 26. Foui-teen large teeth in ii'ont of upper jaw, laterally a few minute 

 ones : 30 sub-horizontal and pointed ones in lower jaw, the outer the largest. First dorsal high. Height of 

 second dorsal 3^^ in length of head. Greenish, with black spots on head, back, and dorsal fins. Upper 

 two-thirds of caudal dark with black angular bands. 



6. Boleophthalmus Boddaerti, D. 5/24-25, A. 24. Height of body 5 or 6 in total length. Vertical dark 

 bands, body covered with opaque blue spots : dorsals with blue spots. Pectoral orange, with a dark edge. 



7. Boleophthalmus sculptus, D. 5/25, A. 24. Scales on head and anterior portion of body in tlie form of 

 flat, rounded tubercles. Greenish-olive along the back, lighter below : six vertical body Isands. India. 



8. Boleophthalmus pectinirostris, D. 5/23-24, A. 23-24. Greenish spots on body. Vertical blue spots on 

 first dorsal fin, transverse ones on second, spots on caudal. Burma to the Malay Archipelago and beyond. 



1. Boleophthalmus tenuis, Plate LXV, fig. 1. 

 B. V, D. 5/28-29, P. 13, V. 1/5, A. 26, C. 13. 



Length of head 5| to 6j, of caudal 4^ to 4|, height of body 10 in the total length. Eyes — elevated, 

 projecting above the dorsal profile during life time, situated close together, diameter 1/6 of length of head, 

 1 diameter fi'om end of snout. Greatest width of head equals 2j- in its length, and its height equals its width. 

 Upper jaw the longer, snout rounded in both senses, its skin loose but without any angular flap. The extent 

 of the gape of the mouth exceeds its cleft, the maxilla reaches to below the last third of the eye. Eight or 

 ten short barbels along the lower edge of each ramus of the lower jaw, but no central barbels under symphysis. 

 Teeth — from 7 to 9 large, pointed, canines in the centre of the upper jaw on either side directed downwards, 

 whilst laterally on either side of them are about 10 more one-third of their size, and also pointed : those in the 

 lower jaw are compressed, sub-horizontal, pointed and about 17 on either side, two moderately sized posterior 

 canines above the symphysis. Fins — first dorsal about 1/3 higher than the second, and about as high as the 

 bod}', the interspace between the two fins in a large specimen equals the height of the first dorsal fin : second 

 dorsal reaches nearly to the base of the caudal, which is lanceolate and inferiorly truncated. Pectoral as long 

 as the head, excluding the snout : ventral one-foui-th shorter and the two fins united in their whole extent. 

 Anal beneath, but not so high as, second dorsal. Gill-opening small, before the lower half of the base of the 

 pectoral. Scales — absent, a few crypts in the skin in the last part of the body. Colours — graj'ish superiorly, 

 becoming white along the abdomen : numerous black spots on the upjier surface of the head and commencement 

 of the body, which latter has cloudy marks and bands from the second dorsal fin. First dorsal black superiorly 

 and with some dark bands inferiorly : second dorsal with about nine or ten oblique black bands in its lower 

 two-thirds continued on to the body, posteriorly its upper edge white with a black margin as is also upper edge 

 of caudal. Pectoral and ventral gray, anal white : caudal blackish with white spots each having a black centre. 



Habitant. — Estuaries of Kurrachee. The one figured is life-size. Largest specimen obtained 6i inches 

 in length. It is common in Sind, but does not appear to extend so far east as Bombay. 



2. Boleophthalmus Dussumieri, Plate LXIV, fig. 9. 

 Cuv. and Val. xii, p. 207, pi. 354 ; Gunther, Catal. iii, p. 104. 

 B. V, D. 5/27-28, P. 19, V. 1/5, A. 26, C. 13, L. 1. ca. 125. 



