306 



ACANTHOPTERTGII. 



Lengtli of head -Jj, of candal 4.1 to 4|, heiglit of body 7| to 8 in tlie total length. Ei/es— rather 

 prominent, diameter 1/7 of length of head, 1 diameter from end of snout, and 1/3 of a diameter apart. 

 Greatest ^-idth of head equals 2^ in its length, and its height equals 1/2 its length Snout obtuse descending 

 almost vertically from the eyes, the anterior end of the clett of the mouth below the middle of the height of 

 the head its cleft slightly oblique, and the maxilla reaches to below the hmd margin of the orbit. Barbels— 

 absent ' Teeth— three on either side of the middle of the upper jaw, pointed, and directed downwards, about 

 ''.5' small conically shaped ones along either branch of the upper jaw : about 2o truncated and notched 

 sub-horizontal ones along either side of tlie lower jaw, and a pair of posterior canines. Fms-&vst dovsnl 

 nearly or as hio'h as the body, its base slightly longer than its height, it does not extend so far as to the base of 

 tlie second dorsal : the second dorsal commences midway between the anterior margin of tlie orbit and the base 

 of the caudal fin, its rays are about half as high as those of the first dorsal and equal tliroughout. Pectoral as 

 lono- as the head ^nthout the snout: ventrals entirely united, more tlian half aslong as the head, and extending 

 half way to the vent : anal commencing under the fourth dorsal ray, its posterior rays slightly the longest and 

 about half as high as those of the second dorsal ; caudal pointed, its lower i-ays truncated. ,Sca/M-distinct on 

 the body, but somewhat indistinct on the head. Colours— gvaj, first dorsal purplish, covered with round black 

 spots : the second with two or three rows of oblong white spots : caudal black. 



Uabitat.— Bombay and coast of Sind, to G inches in length. 



3. Boleophthalmus dentatus, Plate LXIV, fig. 10. 



Cuv. and Val. xii, p. 208, pi. 355. 



B. v, D. 6 I 27, P. 19, V. 1/5, A. 26-27, C. 15. 



Leno-th of head 5 to 5^, of caudal 4 to 4^, height of body 7i to 8^ in the total length, ^-^e.s— rather 

 prominent,''diameter 1/7 of len'gth of head, H to 2 diameters from the end of snout and halt a diameter or less 

 apart Head its Ijreadth equals its height and half its length. Snout somewhat oljtuse, the anterior end of the 

 cleft of the mouth is opposite about the middle of the height of the head, its cleft is slightly oblique, and the 

 maxilla reaches to below the hind margin of the orbit. i'nrZ/e?,?— absent. Teeth— three on either side of the 

 middle of the upijer jaw, elongate, directed down^^•ards and slightly forwards, about 25 conical ones along either 

 branch of the upiier jaw. A^pair of enlarged, recurved canines internally and behind symphysis of the lower 

 iaw and from 35 to 40 nearly horizontal teeth, on either branch of the lower jaw, with theu- summits 

 tricuspidate, or else with a slight lobe on the outer side. F!ns—&rHt dorsal one fourtli higher than the body 

 below it its rays extend beyond the membrane, which last reaches posteriorly as far as the base of the second 

 dorsal • the second dorsal fin commences midway between the snout and the base of the caudal, its rays are 

 about iialf as high as those of the first dorsal, and of equal height throughout. Pectoral as long as the head 

 posterior to the orbit : ventrals entirely united, half as long as the head, and not extending half way to the vent : 

 anal commencing under the fourth ray of the second dorsal, has its posterior rays a little the longest and rather 

 above half the heioht of those of the second dorsal : caudal pointed, its lower rays shorter than the upper. 

 Scales— only distinct in a narrow band on the abdomen, along either side of the anal fin, some along the sides 

 below the second dorsal fin, and a few towards the head, elsewhere they look like rough points. Air-vessel- 

 small but present. Colours— olive gray, with dull vertical bands on the body, six or eight of which are 

 continued to the lower half of the second dorsal fin. First dorsal purplish, covered with black spots, having 

 whitish edo-es, whilst the upper margin of the fin is yellowish : second dorsal with about five rows of oblong 

 white spots, and some black ones having white edges along the first-half of its base. Upper margin of the 

 caudal with a white band and yellow sjiots between its black rays. 



Whether this species and B. Bussumien are in reality distinct species may he open to question, they 

 commence to appear in Bombay, where however they ai-e not so common as B. Boddaertl, but m Smd they have 

 completely supei-seded it. 



Eabitat.—Bomhiij and Kurrachee, to 7^ inches in length. 



4. Boleophthalmus glaucus, Plate LXV, fig. 3. 



B. V, D. 5 1 27, P. 19, V. 1/5, A. 25, C. 13. 



LencHh of head 5 to 5i, of caudal 4i, height of body 8 to 9 in the total length. .E?i/es— prominent 

 (more so durino' life than is shown in the figure), situated close together at the summit of the head, diameter 

 1/5 of lenoth of head, H diameters from end of snout. Greatest width of head equals its length behind the 

 eyes its heio-ht is a little less. Pi-ofile from eyes to snout rather abrupt. The maxilla reaches to below the 

 middle of the eyes. A few short tentacles along the lower edge of each ramus of the mandibles, none below the 

 sympliysis. Teeth— 13 large, pointed, canine-like ones in front of the upper jaw, the outer of which on either side 

 is a little enlarged and recurved, laterally there are 13 more teeth as large as those m tlio mandibles. Twenty-five 

 sub-horizontaiand pointed teeth in the lower jaw, all of about the same size : a pair of posterior canines above 

 the symphysis. Fins— first dorsal elevated, its height Ix-ing from 1/5 to 1/6 in the total length, second dorsal 

 about 2/3 the height of the body, or half the length of the head, posteriorly it is not connected by membrane to 

 the base of the caudal. Pectoral equals half the length of the head. Ventrals united along their whole extent. 

 Caudal lanceolate. Scales -ramute, but visible in the last half of the body. Colours-greenish tmged with 

 violet alono- the abdomen, cloudy bands on head, a few widely scattered black spots on the cheeks and upper 

 fourth of body. Second dorsal with dark horizontal Hnes, most distinct posteriorly. Pectoral gray, with a. 



