4S2 PHTSOSTOMI. 



Chaca huclinnani, Giinthcr, Catal. v, p. 29. 

 Coor-cur-riak, Ooriah ; Pemd, Bhiigulpur, (Ham. Bucli.). 



B. vi, D. 1/3-4 I 19-25, P. 1/5, V. 6, A. 8-10 | 8-12, C. 11. 



Length of head 3, of caudal G to 8, height of body 6 in the total length. Eyes — small, in the anterior 

 fourth of the head, the width of the iutcrorbital space equals half the length of the head, and alono- it runs a 

 dee]! central groove. Head strongly depressed, its width equals its length behind the angle of the mouth. 

 Mouth rery wide. Head and body in specimens from India having short tentacles and a ring of them round 

 the eyes, and several along the edge of the lower jaw, such were not present in a specimen 1 captured in the 

 Irrawaddi. Fins — Dorsal spines slightly serrated on both sides, pectoral sjsine serrated internally. A few 

 tentacles along the lateral-line. Colours — brownish, marbled with darker. 



In the British Museum Catalogue is " a. Adult: stuffed. Nepal. Presented l)y B. H. Hodgson, Esq." 

 This locality I think rather doubtful, especially as the sea and estuary Therapon jarlaa, Forskal, or T. servus, 

 Bloch, is said to have been received " half-grown : stuffed (Nepal. ?) Presented by B. H. Hodgson, Esq." 

 Labels so often become misplaced in Museums or in transit, that without further evidence I am doubtful if this 

 fish can be admitted into the Nepal Fauna. I once examined some of Schlagintweit's specimens in a Museum, 

 and found an Exuccetus labelled as from Cashmere ! 



Ham. Buchanan observes " of all the horrid animals of this tribe the CliaJia of this district is the most 

 disagreeable to behold. It has the habit of the fishes called by Lacepede TJranoscope and Cotte, that is, it 

 conceals itself among the mud from which, by its lurid appearance, and a number of loose filamentous substances 

 on its skin, it is scarcely distinguishable, and with an immense o])on mouth it is ready to seize any small prey 

 that is passing along. In order that it may see what is approaching, the eyes are placed on the crown of the 

 head. All persons turn away from it with loathing." 



Uahitat. — Brahmajiutra, Ganges, and Irrawaddi rivers, also tanks in connection with them : there is a 

 specimen in the Calcutta Museum 6 inches long, said to have come from the " Bay of Bengal." It attains at 

 least 8 inches in length. The one figm-ed (life-size) was from Debrooghtir in Assam, taken in February, 1874. 



Genus, 16 — Plotoshs, Lacepede. 



Platystachus, Bloch ; Copidoglanis, Giinther. 



BrancJdostegals nine to twelve. Gill-ojjenings wide, the membrane not being confluent with the sJcin of the 

 isthmus, and separated by a deep notch. Head depressed covered u'ith thin skin : gape of mouth transverse. Eyes 

 with a free circular margin. Nostrils remote from one another : the anterior tubular and on the front edge of the 

 snout, the jMsterior patent. Barbels eight. Teeth conical in the ivpper, mixed in the lotver jaw : molariform on the 

 vomer. Tvjo rayed dorsal fins, the first with one spine and four or Jive rays: the second many rayed and confhtejit 

 with the caudal, as is also the anal. A pectoral spine. Ventral fin many rayed (12). Air-vessel of moderate 

 size, and not enclosed in hone. A dendritic post-anal apparatus. 



Genus Copidoglaais, Giintlier, is divided from the foregoing, having the first branchial arch with a free 

 membrane along the liinder edge of its concave side, and head rather depressed. I'lotosus having the 

 " branchial arches without particular cartilaginous posterior processes, and without posterior membrane. 

 Head depressed." 



Geographical distribution. — From the east coast of Africa through the seas and estuaries of India and 

 Burma to Polynesia and Australia. 



SYNOPSIS OF SPECIES. 



1. Plotnsus canius, D. |, 2 D + C -f A 244-271. Uniform brownish. Coasts and estuaries of India, 

 Burma, and the Straits. 



2. Plotosus Arab, D. ^fly, 2 D -j- C -f- A 1G9-189. Brown, with two longitudinal w^hite bands. From 

 Red Sea and East coast of Africa to Japan and Polynesia. 



1. Plotosus canius, Plate CXII, fig. -3. 



Ham. Buch. Fish. Ganges, pp. 142, 374, pi. xv, f. 44 ; Cuv. and Val. xv, p. 425 ; Bleeker, Beng. p. 125, 

 and Pro. Sil. p. 318, and Atl. Ich. Silur. p. 99, t. 96, f. 2 ; Kner, Sitz. Wien, Acad, xvii, p. 157, and Novara 

 Fische, p. 300 ; Biyth, Proc. A. S. of Beng. 1858, p. 286 ; Giinther, Catal. v, p. 25. 



Plotosus unicolor, (Kuhl and v. Hass.) Cuv. and Val. xv, p. 426 ; Bleeker, Silur. Batav. p. 58. 



Plotosus horridus, viviparus et multiradiatus, Bleeker, 1. c. pp. 59, 60. 



Plotosus ccesius, Hyrt. Acad. Wiss. Wien, 1859, xvi, p. 17. 



Irung-hellettee, Tamil. 



B. xi-xiii, D. i, 2 D + C -f A 242-271, P. 1/10-11, V. 12, Vert. 15/65. 



Length of head 4i to 5^, height of body 7 to 7|- in the total length. Eyes— diameter 10 to 11 in the 

 length of the head, the width of the interorbital space 2| to 2| in the length of the head. The width of the 

 head equals its length behind the angle of the mouth. Barbels — the nasal nearly reach the nape, the maxillary 

 the end of the opercle or base of the pectoral, whilst the outer mandibular pair are slightly longer than 



