680 LOPHOBRANCHII. 



the head, and 3 diameters from the end of the snout. A fine ridge extends along the upper surface of the snont to 

 between the eyes : an elevated ridge divides the gill-cover into two halves. Snont somewhat elevated. Edges 

 of shields without spines. The lateral-line nninterrnpted, it unites in the form of an arch with the lower 

 border of the first caudal ring. Fins — dorsal fin stands on 11 rings, 2 of which are anterior to the anal ring. 

 Colours — green superiorly, dirty white beneath : on the back several dusky lines intersect each other, forming 

 a net-work : along either side a longitudinal spotted stripe : caudal reddish : eyes silvery : opercle burnished 

 like silver. 



In Orissa the natives asserted that these little pipe-fishes have some mysterious connection with the 

 teeth of the crocodile, some of the fishermen believing them to be vivified teeth, others that they are rejected 

 toothpicks. 



Habitat. —Tidal rivers ascending far above tidal influence. I have taken them from rivers in Bengal 

 and Orissa, from which latter locality the specimen figured was obtained ; and it is said that Dussumier sent 

 seven examples from Malabar to Paris. It attains 7 inches or more in length. 



2. Doryichthys Bleekeri, Plate CLXXIV, fig. 3. 



Micro'phis Bleekeri, Day, Fish. Malabar, p. 265; DumerU, Hist. Poiss. ii, p. 599. 

 Doryichthys Bleekeri, Giinther, Catal. vui, p. 182. 



D. 40-45, P. 21, A. 2, C. 9, Osseous rings 21 -f 22. 



Length of head Sj in the distance between the end of the snout and the vent : trunk from end of snout 

 to vent nearly 2/3 of the total length. Eyes — slightly oval, diameter 7i in the length of the head, 4-i diameters 

 from end of snout, and 1/2 a diameter apart. The lateral-line posteriorly arches downwards and i-eaches the 

 infero-lateral caudal ridge at the base of the ring behind the anal one. Snout compressed, curving slightly 

 upwards at its extremity : opercle with a horizontal ridge along its centre, having five more ridges proceeding 

 below it to its posterior and inferior margins : a ridge on the nape. Fins — the dorsal is placed upon 9 rings, the 

 first of which is the anal ring : the pectoral wide and short : the caudal lanceolate and equal in length to half 

 that of the snout. liinrjs — each very distinctly separated from the next, and ending in a moderately sharp 

 spine posteriorly, causing the surface to feel quite rough to the finger passed from behind forwards. In the 

 female there are sometimes two spines to the end of each ring, and they are much sharper and longer than in 

 the male. Colours — a bright red line at the gills, and along the lateral-line, otherwise of a light brown with a 

 dark line proceeding forward from the eye, and the under surface of the snout barred with brown : fins light 

 bro^Ti. 



Habitat. — Not rare in the Alwaye river at Cochin. Grows to at least 8 inches in length. 



3. Doryichthys deocata. 

 Syngnathus deocata, Ham. Buch. Fish. Ganges, pp. 14, 363 ; Gray and Hard. 111. Ind. Zool. (from 

 H. B.'s MSS.) ; Bleeker, Beng. p. 80. 



Microjjhis deocata, Kaup, Lophob. p. 64 ; Dumeril, Hist. Poiss. ii, p. 590. 



D. 30, P. 15, A. ? C. 17 ? Osseous rings 16 + 32. 



Snout longer than in D. cunculus. Fins — dorsal stands on sis rings, two of which belong to the body- 

 Colours — genei-ally brown : bright red under the lateral-line and dotted with blue. In Gray and Hardwicke 

 the lower surface is red, vertically banded with darker stripes edged with blue, at the upper end of each dark 

 stripe is a white dot or angular mark. 



Habitat. — Rivers of Bengal and Behar. 



C. — Male with ova attached to the abdomen and. no closed imi,ch ; pectorals absent : caudal, when present, 

 ■nidimentary. 



Genus, 4— Nerophis, Bafinesque. 



Netasomata, Eichwald : Scyphius, Risso : Eutelurus, A. Dumeril. 



Body rounded and ridges when present very indistinct : the tail tapering to a point without possessing any 

 or only a rudimental caudal fin. Dorsal fin of moderate length placed opposite to the vent : the pectorals absent. 

 Ova attached to the loose integument of the abdomen in the males, and not covered by lateral cutaneous folds. 



Geographical distribution.— Bomhaj, Atlantic and the coasts of Europe. 



SYNOPSIS OP INDIVIDUAL SPECIES. 



1. Nerophis Dumerilii, D. 37. Osseous rings 27 -f- 65. Bombay. 



1. Nerophis Dumerilii. 



Steindachner, Sitz. Ak. Wiss. Wien. 1868, \vii, p. 1002 ; Giinther, Catal. viii, p. 191. 

 Entelurus Dumerilii, Dumeril, Hist. Poiss. ii, p. 607. 



D. 37, C. 7. Osseous rings 27 -f 65. 



Length of trunk from snout to vent 1/3 of the total length. Snout half as long as the head. Forehead 



