632 PHYSOSTOMI. 



the mouth. The distance between the snout and the first dorsal ray is 1/4 of the total length. Teeth — fine 

 ones in iaws and palate. Fins — six upper pectoral rays produced to about the middle of the length of the fish, 

 the longest of the lower rays equalling the head excluding the snout : ventral not 1/2 as long as the head, it is 

 inserted below the middle of the dorsal fin. The length of the base of the anal is nearly equal to 3/4 of the 

 distance between the gill-opening and the base of the caudal fin, the upper ray of which last is the longest, 

 they decrease in length to the most inferior one. Scales — five or six spinate ones anterior to the ventral fin, 

 and eio-ht posterior to it, they commence just behind the insertion of the pectoral fin. Gill-rakers — rather fine, 

 closely set, from 21 to 2.5 in the lower branch of the outer branchial arch, the longest being as long as the eye. 

 Pseudobranchife absent. Colours — golden, with two or three rows of round burnished golden spots along the 

 lower half of the side. 



Goilia quadrifilis, Giinther, Catal. vii, p. 403, appears to be a a variety having only 4 free filaments to 

 the pectoral fin. 



The variety figured by Bleeker has a much higher body than the typical form : it is also found in 

 Bombay. 



Hahitnt. — Very numerous at Bombay, seas and estuaries of India to the Malay Archipelago. It attains 

 at least 7 inches in length. The example figured (life-size) was from Orissa where it is common. 



6. Coilia Borneensis, Plate CLIX, fig. 1. 



Bleeker, Haring. p. 4.5, Boraeo, p. 437 and Atl. Ich. vi, p. 139, t. 262, fig. 3 ; Giinther, Catal. vii, 

 p. 403. 



B. X, D. 1 + 14(t-V), p. 6 t ix-xii, V. 7, A. 77 to 95, L. I. 76, L. tr. 9. 



Length of head 5| to 6i, of caudal .5 to 7, height of body .5 to 5i in the total length. JE'yes— diameter 

 5 to 5i in the length of the head, I diameter from the end of snout and li apart. Maxilla dilated above the 

 mandibular joint and continued backwards as far as the gill-opening. The distance between the snout and the 

 dorsal fin is 1/4 of the total length. Teeth— generic. Fins — the six lower pectoral rays short : the 12 upper 

 ones extend almost to the middle of the length of the body of the fish. Ventrals about 1/2 as long as the 

 head. The length of the base of the anal equals 2/5 of the distance between the snout and the base of the 

 caudal fin. Scales— ionr or five fine spines along the abdominal edge between the bases of the pectoral and 

 the ventral fins : 5 behind the latter. C'o/oMrs— golden, fins yellowish without any black marks. 



Habitat.— Madras, Burma where it is common in the Irrawaddy river, also the Malay Archipelago. 



Second group — Chatoessifobmes. 



Mouth transverse, narrow, nearly or quite inferior, with the upper jaw projecting over the lower. 

 Eyes with free adipose lids. Abdomen serrated. 



Genus 3 — Chatoessus, Cuvier and Valenciennes. 



Borosoma, Rafinesque ; Gonostoma, v. Hasselt ; Amdontostoma, Bleeker. 



Branchiosterjals from, four to six. Body ocal, short, deep, and moderately compressed : with a sharp, serrated 

 abdominal edge. Snout ove'rhangivg a rather narrow transverse mouth. The superior cMnbs of the first branchial 

 arch unite tvith those of the oppo-kte side, forming two angles, one pointing forwards, the other backwards : the fourth 

 branchial arch having an accessory respiratory ' organ. Teeth absent from jaws. A single dorsal fin, hari'ng the 

 last ray prolonged in some species ; ventrals anterior to or below the dorsal fin; anal commencing posterior to the 

 dorsal and with a moderate number of, or many rays ; caudal forked. Air-vessel large, roiuided anteriorly, pointed 

 posteriorly. Coecal pylori numerous. Pseudobranchice loell developed. 



SYNOPSIS OF SPECIES. 



A. — Last dorsal ray not prolonged. 



1. Chatoessus chacunda, D. 17-19, A. 19-20, L. 1. 40-42, L. tr. 13-14. India to the Malay Archipelago. 



2. Chatoessus modestus, D. 14-16, A. 27-28, L. 1. 47, L. tr. 17. Burma. 



3. Chatoessus manminna, D. 14-15, A. 22-24, L. 1. 58-63, L. tr. 22-24. Fresh waters of India except 

 its southern portion and the Deccan. 



B. — Last dorsal ray prolonged. 



4. Chateossus nasus, D. 15-17, A. 22-24, L. 1. 46-50, L. tr. 18-19. Seas of India to the Malay Archi- 

 pelago and beyond. 



A. — Last dorsal ray not prolonged. 



1. Chatoessus chacunda, Plate CLX, fig. 3. 



Clwpanodon chacunda. Ham. Buch. Fish. Ganges, pp. 246, 383. 



Gonostoma Javanicum, Kuhl. and v. Hasselt, Alg. Konst. Letterb. 1823, p. 329. 



? Glupea Mauritiana, Bennett, Proc. Zool. Soc. 1833, p. 32. 



