FAMILY, I— STNGNATHID^. 079 



Length of hear! Sj in the total length, or 3J in the distance between the end of the snout and the vent : 

 the length of the trunk 2-4- in the total length. Eyes — diameter 6 to 6| in the length of the head. Snout much 

 longer than the postocular region, and equalling the distance from the hind edge of the eye to the middle of 

 the pectoral fin. A low median ridge along the snout, crown, and nape : a second along the side of the head. 

 Fins — dorsal on six rings commencing on the last body ring. Colours — body with in'egular brown cross bars, 

 each with a white posterior edge : black dots on the dorsal. 



Habitat. — East coast of Africa, seas of India, to the Malay Archipelago. 



Genus, 2 — Ichthtocampus, Kaup. 



The ridges of the concave hach and tail are continuous, and are continued (although sometimes verij 

 indistinctly) to the caudal fin. Dorsal fin nearly or quite opposite to tlte vent. Pectorals and caudal present. 

 Males with an egg-pouch, having a cutaneous covering, situated on the tail. 



Geographical distrihutimi. — Seas of India to Australia. 



SYNOPSIS OF INDIVIDUAL SPECIES. 



1. Ichthyocampus carce, D. 23-26, Osseous rings 15-16 -|- 38-40. Brown, with milk-white spots on 

 the body. Seas, estuaries, and fresh waters of India to the Malay Archipelago. 



1. Ichthyocampus carce, Plate CLXXIV, fig. 2. 



Syngnathus carce. Ham. Bach. Fish. Gang. pp. 13, 362 ; Gray and Hard. 111. Ind. Zool. (from H.B.'s 

 MSS.) ; Bleeker, Beng. pp. 80, 161. 



Typhlus Ponticerianus, Bibron, Paris Mus. (Kaup.) 



Ichthyocanvpus Ponticerianus, Kaup, Lojahob. p. 31 ; Kner, No vara Fische, p. 391 ; Day, Fish. I\Ialabar, 

 p. 263 ; Dumeril, Hist. Poiss. ii, p. 540. 



Ichthyocampus carce, Kaup, 1. c. p. 30 ; Dumeril, Hist. Poiss. ii, p. 540 ; Giinther, Catal. viii, p. 176. 



D. 23-26, P. 17, A. 2, C. 6, Osseous rings 15-16+38-40. 



Length of head 3^ in the distance between the end of the snout and the vent : the distance between 

 end of snout and vent is 2f in the total length. Eyes — diameter 1/6 of length of head, nearly 3 diameters fmni 

 end of snout, and 1/3 of a diameter apart. Body higher than it is wide. Snout slightly elevated in its anterior 

 third : interorbital space slightly concave, with a sharp low median rida-e passing along the snout : another 

 exists in the occipital region. A very sharp straight ridge crosses the opercle. Egg- pouch about 1/2 as long as 

 the tail. Fins — the dorsal is situated on the second to the eighth caudal rings. Rings — with smooth edges. 

 Colours — deep brown, with one — occasionally two — milk-white spots in the centre of each body ring along the 

 infero-lateral ridge : the lower surface of the snout dotted with black spots : dorsal fin yellow : pectoral and 

 caudal leaden-colour : eye greenish-blue. 



Hahitat. — Seas, estuaries, and fresh waters of India and Malay Archipelago; where it grows to about 

 5 inches in length. 



B. — Humeral hones united : male ivith egg-pouch on abdomen: pectoral and caudal fins present. 



Genus, 3 — Doeyichthts, Kaup. 

 Doryrhamplius, Cha;roichthys, and Micrcphis, Kaup : Belonicldhys, Peters. 



Pidges on body ivell-developed : lateral-line interrupted or continued tu the lower edge vf the fail. Porsul fin, 

 sittiated opposite the vent and of moderate length or elongated. 



Geographical distribution. — Seas of the tropics, some species entering fresh waters. 



SYNOPSIS OF SPECIES. 



1. Doryichthys cunculus, D. 50, Osseous rings 17-18 + 25-27. Dorsal fin stands on 11 rings. Tidal i-ivcrs 

 along the coasts of India. 



2. Doryichthys Bleeheri. D. 40-45, Osseous rings 21 + 22. Dorsal fin stands on 9 rings. Malabar. 



3. Doryichthys deocata, D. 30, Osseous rings 16 + 32. Rivers of Bengal and Behar. 



1. Doryichthys cunculus, Plate CLXXIV, fig. 4. 



Syngnathus cunculus. Ham. Buch. Fish. Ganges, pp. 12, 362 ; Bleeker, Beng. p. 80. 



Microphis cunculus, Ktiu-p, Ca,t&\. Lopho. Fish. Brit. Mus. p. 64; Day, Fish. Malabar, p. 266 ; Dumeril, 

 Hist. Poiss. ii, p. 591. 



DoryicJtthys cunculus, Giinther, Catal. viii, p. 181. 

 Kunnur dant, " Crocodile's teeth," Ooriah. 



D. 50, P. 16-18, A. 2, C. 8-9, Osseous rings 17-18 + 25-27. 



Length of head 4| in the distance between the end of the snout and the vent: length of trunk fiom 

 snout to vent about 1/2 of the total length. Eyes — of moderate size, situated in the middle of the length ot' 



