452 PHTSOSTOMI. 



In Ham. Bucli. MSS. P. chandramara is said to be found in the Rangpiir district in tlie Mahananda 

 and also in the Dinajpur district. In Purniah lie records it as termed Thunlca-jwtasl of the Kusi and 

 Khmnarn at Bholahat. In the " Fishes of the Ganges," he remarks that P. rama is from the Brahmaputra. 

 The fish I have here described from the same locality, appears to be a link between the two forms, as the 

 Assam one is said to have on the nape a large black spot divided into four lobes, and which is not present 

 in my specimens, whilst it is stated to differ from P. eliandramara, chiefly in the latter being deficient 

 in this mark. I have referred my specimen to the P. rama, as it came from Assam. 



Blyth, who appears to have scenH. B.'s figure oi Pimelodus eliandramara, novr missing from the Calcutta 

 series of drawings, observed " B. eliandramara is referi'cd to Siluiidia by Valenciennes, and is described by 

 Hamilton Buchanan to have only two cirri ; but his unpublished figure represents six cirri distinctly, and in all 

 this group the minute cirri are discernible with difficulty and are extremely liable to be overlooked.''* 



Habitat. — Eastern Bengal and Assam. The specimen figui-ed (twice life-size) was from Assam. This fish 

 appears not to exceed 2 or 3 inches in length. 



Genus, 3 — EEETHiSTES,t Mull, and Troscli. 

 Sara, Blyth. 



Head osseous siiperiorhj, someivliat depressed. Mouth small, terminal or sah-inferior, besides the 

 oceipital and liumero-cubital processes there is a strong scapular one, none of which are covered hy skin. 

 Gill-openiiKjs narrow, the memhranes heing confluent with the skin of the isthmus. Eyes small, suicutaneous, 

 not having a free orbital margin. Nostrils close together, separated by a barbel. Barbels eight, the maxillary ones 

 with broad bases. Villiform teeth in the jaivs, palate edentulous. First dorsal fin arising anterior to the ventrals, 

 having an osseous, serrated spine and five or six branched rays: adipose dorsal present. Pectoral with a serrated 

 spine. Air-vessel not enclosed in bone. 



Geographical distribution. — From the Mahanuddee river in the West to the Salwein in British Burma. 

 This genus extends iidand to the Moora river at Bheer Bhoom in Bengal, to Assam (where in the Brahmaputra 

 and waters in its vicinity the finest specimens are procured), and also as high as Mandalay in upper Burma. It 

 has been reported from Chusan by McClelland. 



SYNOPSIS OP SPECIES. 



1. Eretliistes hara, D. ^ | 0, A. 10. Blunt spinate ossicles in the skin. Serrations on outer edge 

 of pectoral spine, directed alternately forwards and backwards. No elongated caudal ray. Bengal, Assam, 

 and Burma. 



2. Erethistes conta, T). \ \ 0, A. 10. Skin tuberculated. Serrations on outer edge of pectoral spine 

 directed backwards, tipper caudal ray elongated. Bengal and Burma. 



3. Erethistes Jerdoni, D. ^ | 0, A. 10. Skin smooth. Serrations on outer edge of pectoral spine directed 

 backwards. Spine elongated. No prolonged caudal ray. Sylhet. 



4. Erethistes elongata, D. \ \ 0, A. 10. Skin tuberculated. Head G\ in the total length. Dorsal spine 

 serrated on both edges. Both caudal lobes elongated. Naga hills. 



1. Erethistes hara, Plate CII, fig. 1 {adult), fig. 2 (half-grown). 



Pimelodus hara. Ham. Bueh. Fish. Ganges, pp. 190, 378 ; Cuv. and Val. xv, p. l.")2. 



Erethistes pusillus, Miill. and Trosch. Horaa Ich. 1849, p. 12, t. i, f . 2 ; Giiuther, Catal. v. p. 2G3 ; Day, 

 P. A. S. of Beng. 1872, p. 122. 



Hara Buchanani, Blyth, P. A. S. of Bong. 1860, p. 152 ; Giiuther, Catal, v, p. 189 ; Day, P. Z. S. 1869, p. 369. 

 Nga-kyouh-pah, Burmese. 



D. i I 0, P. 1/6, V. 6, A. 10-11 (^'^), C. 15. 



Length of head 4 to 4 j, of caudal 5, height of body 4i to 5 in the total length. Eyes — diameters about 

 10 in the length of head, situated in the commencement of the hind half of the head, 3 diameters apart. The 

 greate,st width of the head equals its length, and one-third or 1/4 more than its height. Upper jaw 

 slightly the longer, the width of the mouth equal to 1/3 of the length of the head. A semilunar subcutaneous 

 bone surrounds the anterior and lower margin of the nasal orifices, which are close together but divided by a 

 barbel. Median longitudinal groove on the head shallow and reaches to opposite the hind edge of the 

 eye. Occipital process from twice in the adult to about three times in the young, as long as wide at its base : 

 huniero-cubital process elongated and rugose, having two rounded osseous projections posteriorly : between the 

 humei-o-cubital and occipital process is a third intermediate one, the scapular, directed somewhat downwards : 

 the basal bone of the dorsal fin considerably dilated externally. Barbels — the nasal ones short, the maxillary 

 ones reach the base of the pectoral fin, the mandibular ones arise on a transverse line, the external reach 

 the gill-openings, whilst the internal are shorter. Teeth — none on the palate. Fins — dorsal spine stout, from 

 3/4 to nearly as long as the head (in the adult comparatively longest as is also the pectoral spine) serrated 

 posteriorly, and sometimes rugose anteriorly : length of the base of the adipose dorsal 4/7 of that of 



* So dillicnlt is it to distinguish the minute barbels in this lish, tliat I have only been able to do so, by floating the specimens 

 in water ovrr a d:irk substance 



t See i'roc. Asi. Soeicty of Bengal, 1872, p. 122. 



