462 PHTSOSTOMI. 



denticulated internally, its outer ray often prolonged. Ventral nearly reaches the anal. Upper caudal lobe the 

 lono-er. Colours— greenish-hroyrn, becoming lighter on the abdomen, some specimens have narrow vertical 

 bands of spots on the body. Fins tinged with dark. 



Banms doroides has a few ossified plates along the first portion of its lateral-line. 



Eahitat —From Bombay through the seas and estuaries of India to the Malay Archipelago. It is said to 

 be very common at Batavia, where it is largely consumed. The specimen figured is 9 inches in length and from 

 Calcutta : it attains at least 3 feet. 



10. Arius sona, Plate CV, fi 



&■ 



Pimelodus sona, Ham. Buch. Fish. Ganges, 172, 376. 



Bagrus gagoroides, and tmchipomus, Cuv. and Val. xiv, pp. 441, 443. 



.Arms f;-ac7i!>0J)i?«, Bleeker. Beng. en Hind. p. 58. ^.. ,, ^,, 



Arius gagoroides, Bleeker, Beng. en Hind. p. 56; Blyth, P. A. S. of Beng. 1858, p. 2.^-:. ; Gunther, Catal. 



V, p. 140. 1 ,- 1 ^ 



Netuma netiima, Day, Fish. Malabar, p. 175 (not Cuv. and \ al.) 



Arius sona, Day, P. Z. S. 1871, p. 708. 



B. vi, D. I/O, P. 1/12, V. G, A. 17 (-/v), C 17. 



Leno-th of head 4, of caudal 5 to G, height of body 6 in the total length. iJj/es -diameters 7 to 9 in the 

 leno-th of head 2^ to 3 diameters from the end of snout, and 3i to 4^ apart. Head one-half broader than high, 

 and almost as Wide as long. Upper iaw the longer : the extent of the gape of the mouth equals two-thirds ot 

 the leno-th of the head. ISIedian longitudinal groove on the head wide but does not extend so iar as the base of 

 the occ?pital process, the latter being keeled, convex at its posterior extremity where it reaches tlio basal bone 

 of the dorsal fin which is somewhat narrow, especially in its centre, whilst either side is slightly bent into an 

 S-shaped form. The occipital process is as wide or rather wider at its base than it is long, it, and also the 

 crown of the head from behind the eyes, are granulated, these granulations have somewhat of a radiating direction. 

 Barbels— the maxillary reach to the end of the head, the outer mandibular ones are shorter. Teeth— on palate 

 ^-illifonn those on the palatines on a large somewhat triangular patch which is emargmate posteriorly, 

 anteriorly two small patches on the vomer connect the two palatine ones together. Fins— dorsal spme strong, 

 o-ranulated anteriorly, serrated posteriorly, and as long as the head excluding the snout, but not so high as tlie 

 rays which are hio-her than tlie body : length of the base of the adipose dorsal equals that of the rayed fin. 

 Pectoral spine stronger and usually slightly shorter than that of the dorsal, rough externally, sometimes even 

 with a few serrations near its tip, serrated internally. Ventrals not reaching the anal. Caudal forked. 

 Co]oHrs—hrov.-msh above, bluish on the sides where it is glossed -with gold, and of a dull white beneath. Fins 

 with a bluish-black tinge. Young specimens are of a brownish colour, superiorly glossed with purplish and 



yellow, the fins are nearly black. -,,.,, . -tt-d a ■ ■ ni- 



Bleeker AtL Ich. Silur. p. 36, considers Arins gagoro)des=Punelodus anus, i±. li.=Anns anus, K^. \. 

 and Fseudarius arius, Bleeker, whereas I have considered them as four distinct species as follows, Anus 

 gagoroides, C. V.=P. sona, H. B. : Pimelodus arius, H. B. is not Arius arius, C. V. h\it=Anus Euchanam ; Arms 

 arius C V =4. /a^ctmMS, Richardson ; Pscudarius arius, 'mee'kev=Arius angulatus, Bleeker, kc. 



' Hahitat.—¥rom Bombay through the seas of India, entering estuaries and tidal river.s. It attains at 

 least three feet in length. The specimen figured is 7-5 inches in length and from Bombay. 



11. Arius serratus, Plate XCV, fig. 3. 



B. vi, D. 1/0, P. 1/10, v. 6, A. 16 (A), C. 17. 



Length of head 5^, of caudal 4i, height of body 5f in the total length. Eyw— diameters 4^ in the 

 leno-th of head 1\ diameters from end of snout and 2 apart. The greatest width of the head equals its 

 length behind the angle of the mouth. Upper jaw the longer, the width of the gape of the mouth equals half 

 the^leno-th of the head. Upper surface of the head granulated or with rough lines, most distinct on tne occipital 

 process" Median lonrntudinal groove on the head does not quite reach posteriorly to above the hmd edge ot the 

 opercle from it commences a serrated ridge, which is continued along the occipital process. Occipital process 

 with a serrated keel, a little longer than wide at its base. Basal bone nan-ow and crescent-shaped. Larbels— 

 the maxillary ones reach to the middle of the pectoral fin, the outer mandibular ones to the gill-opening. 

 Teeth— in the palate vdliform in 3 distinct patches on either side, the vomerine patch round, smaU, and with an 

 interspace between the two, and externally there is another rather longer oval patch. Posteriorly _ the third 

 patch is parallel to the one on the opposite side. Fi^s— dorsal higher than the body, its spme which is serrated 

 on both edo-es, is as long as the head behind the middle of the eyes, and has a soft termination : the length 

 of the base°of the adipose 1/2 of that of the rayed fin. Pectoral reaches rather above 1/2 way to the ventral, 

 its spine stronger but not quite so long as that of the dorsal, externally it is rough m its lower, serrated m its 

 outer half internally it is denticulated. Ventral does not reach the anal. Upper caudal lobe the longer. 

 Colours— nvver surface of the head copper-coloured shot with gold, sides sdvery. Fms yellowish rayed dor.=al 

 stained with dark in its outer half : adipose fin with a black spot : a dark band, edged with white, along the 

 outer half of the anal : either caudal lobe dark at its extremity. ^ , , -i. 



This fish is nearly allied to A. thalassinus, but has much shorter pectoral fins, and longer maxdlary 



