316 ACANTHOPTERYGII. 



Nine or ten rows between the bases of tlie second dorsal and anal fins. Colours — depend very mucli on locality, 

 generally leaden or brownish, sometimes blotched with darker. A scarlet spot at the base of the pectoral fin, 

 divided in the centre by a round black mark. First dorsal nearly black : the second, the anal, and the caudal 

 yellowish with bands of spots, upper edge of caudal sometimes reddish. 



Habitat. — Seas and estuaries of India to the Malay Archipelago, attaining about 4 inches in length. 

 The specimen figured (life-size) is from Calcutta. 



16. Eleotris Amboinensis. 



? Bleeker, Amboina, iv, p. 343 ; Giinther, Catal. iii, p. 117 ; Day, Proc. Zool. Soc. 1869, p. 303. 

 Eleotris buccata, Blyth, J. A. S. of Beng. 18(30, p. 14-5. 

 i" Butis Amboinensis, Bleeker, Eleotriformes, 1874, p. 5. 

 Prionohutis buccata, Bleeker, Eleotriformes, 1874, p. 5. 

 Gar/i-balah-Jcera, Ooriah. 



B. V, D. 1 I, P. 19, V. 1/5, A. i, C. 13, L. 1. 28, L. tr. 9. 



Length of head SJ, of caudal 5 to 5|-, height of body 7 in the total length. Eyes — diameter 1/5 of length 

 of head, If diameters from end of snout, and Ij apart. Dorsal profile nearly horizontal, snout depressed. 

 Greatest wddth of head equals its length without the snout, and its height equals nearly half its length. Lower 

 jaw somewhat the longer : cleft of mouth commences opposite the upper edge of the eye : the maxilla 

 reaches to nearly below the front edge of the eye. Upper and hind edge of orbit minutely seri-ated, also 

 two serrated ridges along either side of the snout. Teeth — in numerous villiform rows in both jaws, the outer 

 row in the premaxillaries consists of widely separated pointed ones, much larger than the villiform bands, 

 and its inner row is rather horizontal : the outer row in the lower jaw is anteriorly similar to that in the 

 ]n'emaxillaries ; whilst the inner row laterally is enlarged. Fins — dorsal spines weak, about 1/2 the height of 

 the body : anterior rays of second dorsal as high as tlie body and higher than the posterior ones. Pectoral 

 nearly as long as the head : ventral reaches above half way to vent. Caudal rounded. Scales — feebly 

 ctenoid on the liody, more strongly so on the cheeks : 18 rows between the base of the dorsal fin and hind edge 

 of the eye, anteriorly they extend forwards to the snout, those in the interorbital space not being very small. 

 Nine rows between the second dorsal and anal. A few scales on the body have a rudimentary one at their base. 

 Colours — brownish, sometimes vertically banded, first dorsal dark, second yellowish, with rows of brown spots 

 on the rays. A large black spot surrounded by yellow at the base of the pectoral fin : anal and caudal brown 

 dotted, and having reddish margins. 



This species differs from E. caperata in having no elevation of snout, and the interorbital space being 

 scaled. From E. butis in ha%-ing an outer, widely set, enlarged row of teeth. Bleeker's species E. 

 Amboinensis is in a group having " Denies utrac[ue maxilla, (jeq_uales confetii," consequently the above may not 

 be his species. 



Habitat. — Seas and estuaries of India to the Malay Archipelago.* 



Genus, 10 — GOEIOIDES, Lacepide. 



? Tmnioiiles, hacdp. ; Ambhjopus, Cuv. and Val. ; Ojnichodes and Psilosomus, Swains.; Odmitamllyopiis, 

 Bleeker. 



Branchiostegals five : gills four : pisendobranchim absent. Body elongated : head oblong : no cavity above the 

 opercles. Lower jaw prominent, causing the cleft of the mouth to be directed upioards. Eyes lateral, minute 

 or indistinct. Teeth in a band, idth a single anterior row of large, curved, conical, and distantly placed ones : a pair 

 of posterior canities above the syinphysis of the loiver jarv may be present or absent. The first portion of the dorsal fin, 

 consisting of five undivided rays is separated by an interval from the soft portion, in the centre of which is a single 

 sixth undivided ray. Second portion of dorsal and anal with many rays and more or less confluent -with the caudal : 

 ventrals united. Scales rudimentary or absent. Air-vessel, ivhen present, small or large. 



Bleeker separates Gobioides, Lacep., from Ta:nioides, Lacep., partly due to their being deficient in 

 postei'ior canines which O. Broussonetti is said to be without. But Lacepede's type of Gobioides is O. anguilla/ris, 

 which has posterior canines, whilst his Tcenioides is stated to have no caudal fin. 



Geographical distribution. — These fishes are found along the coasts, estuaries and witliin tidal influence 

 throughout India to the Malay Archipelago, China, and Japan. They mostly delight in muddy localities and 

 use their teeth very freely as organs of attack or defence. 



These following seven species may be thus subdivided : — ■ 



A. A pair of posterior canines above the symphysis of the lower jaw. 



a. Vei'tical fins densely enveloped in skin, G. anguillaris. 



b. Vertical tins not euvelope^l in skin, G. Buchanani, G. rubicundus, G. tenuis. 



* Atherina danhts, Ham. Bnch. Fisb. Ganges, pp. 222, 39\ ; Eleotris danius, Bleeker Benw. en HinJ.; Cestreus mimitus, 

 McClcll. Cal. Journ. Nat. Hist, ii, p. 151, p\. iv. f. 2 may belong to this genus. D. 4-5 | 8-9, P. 7, V. 6, A. lu-12, C. 1-3. 

 Appeivrance that of a Mugil. elongateil, corll|lres^e(l. Upper surface of head flat : three protuberances on the nape. Ei/es — large, 

 prominent. Teeth — in two rows of forked ones, fms -caudal ends in a crescent. Sca!t'S— ctenoid, very thin, none ou the head. 

 Colours— back dotted, silvery-white ou the abdomen. Habitat — iluhananda and Ganges rivers, to one inch in length. 



