FAIIILY, II— GYMNODONTES. 703 



the nostrils to the dorsal fin : a few on the lower part of the cheeks and nnmerous along the abdominal surface 

 almost as far as the vent. Colours — of a light brownish along the back, becoming white tinged with yellow 

 on the sides and beneath. Bands of dark brown pass from the back down the sides to the middle of the body 

 enclosing light spaces of irregular sizes and shapes or round spots. From the snout to the dorsal fin round or 

 oval light spots predominate. Occasionally a few bars descend from the eye over the cheek. Fins yellow 

 stained with orange, sometimes a black shoulder spot. 



Habitat. — Seas of India to the Malay Archipelago, China, Japan, and the South Sea. The example 

 figured was from Madras. 



b. A fringed hut single unperforated nasal cavity, with a fringed edge: body spined {Chelonodon, Miiller). 



6. Tetrodon patoca, Plate CLXXXII, fig. 4. 



Tetraodon, Russell, Fish. Vizag. i. p. 18, and Kappa, pi. xxv. 



Tetrodon patoca, Ham. Buch. Fish. Ganges, pp. 7, 363, pi. xviii, f. 2 ; (Bibron), Dumeril, Rev. Zool. 18.5.5, 

 p. 280 ; Giinther, Catal. viii, p. 288. 



Tetrodon maculatus, Swainson, Fishes, ii, p. 328. 



Tetrodon dissutidens, Cantor, Catal. Malay. Fish. p. 382 ; Jerdon, M. J. L. and iSc. 1851, p. 150. 



Tetrodon kappa, Bleeker, Beng. pp. 78, 160, Blootk. p. 16, and Moluk. p. 301. 



Chelichthys dissutidens, Riipp. Verz. Senck. Mus. Fisch. p. 35. 



Arothron ? kappa, Bleeker, En. Pise. p. 200. 



Chelonodon happa, Bleeker, Ceram. p. 183. 



Leiodon patoca, Bleeker, Atl. Ich. v, p. 76, t. ccx, f. 2. 



D. 10-11, P. 18, A. 8-10, C. 10-11. 



Length of head is rather less than its distance from the base of the dorsal fin. Eijes — situated in about 

 the middle of the length of the head, interorbital space broad. Teeth — of about the same size in either jaw. 

 Fins — dorsal and anal rounded, the caudal (which is fi'om 4^ to 5| in the total length) truncate. Height of 

 dorsal fin equals the length of the head excluding the snout. Spines — small, with three or four roots, 

 extending from a short distance behind the nostrils to the base of the dorsal fin : inferiorly they extend over 

 the chest nearly as high as the base of the pectoral fin and posteriorly to the vent. Colours — npper half 

 brown or black with numerous round or oval white spots, sides and abdomen silvery, a yellowish tinge 

 dividing the dark back from the white side. Caudal in the young stained dark in its outer half. The caudal 

 fin is rather longer, the back is darker, the light spots smaller and more distinct in examples from Calcutta 

 than in those from the sea. In some, especially marine forms and immature specimens, two to three distinct 

 dark bands descend from the back to the middle of the sides, and a fourth passes across the head. 



Habitat. — From Sind through the seas of India to China, attaining at least 13 inches in length. It is 

 very common along the Coromandel coast of India. 



c. A simple and circular nasal cavity : body spineless (Monotretics, Bibron). 



7. Tetrodon cutcutia, Plate CLXXXII, fig. 5. 



Hamilton Buchanan, Fish. Ganges, pp. 8, 362, pi. xviii, f. 3 ; Bleeker, Beng. pp. 78, 160 ; Giinther, 

 Catal. viii, p. 290. 



Tetrodon caria and gularis. Ham. Buch. 1. c. pp. 9, 10. 

 Leisomus marmoratus, Swainson, Fishes, ii, p. 328. 

 Monotretus cutcutia (Bibron), Dumeril, Rev. Zool. 1855, p. 281. 

 Leisomus cutcutia, Blyth, Journ. As. Soc. of Bengal, 1860, p. 173. 



B. V, D. 10-11, P. 21, A. 10, C. 7. 



Length of head equals its distance from the base of the dorsal fin, caudal fin 6 in the total length. Hyes 

 — slightly behind the middle of length of head : interorbital space flat and broad. Nostril a single orifice, 

 situated in a very short simple tube. Fins — dorsal situated in the posterior 1/3 of the distance between the 

 fi'ont edge of the eye and the base of the caudal fin : all the fins rounded. Spines — entirely absent. Colours 

 — greenish yellow above, becoming white on the abdomen. A light band passes from eye to eye. A large 

 black ocellus, surrounded by a light edge, on the side anterior the origin of the dorsal and anal fins. The 

 whole of the back mai'ked with dark greenish reticulations enclosing lighter spaces : fins grayish : caudal 

 tipped with carmine : a red spot on the throat. 



Habitat. — Fresh waters of Orissa, Bengal and Assam. It attains about 3| inches in length. The 

 example figured was from Orissa. 



d. — Two solid nasal tentacles, one on each side of an impervious nasal fossa {Arothron, Miiller). 



8. Tetrodon immaculatus, Plate CLXXXIII, fig. 4. 

 A. — Variety witlwut spots or lines. 

 Tetrodon sans tache, Lacep. i, pp. 475, 486, t. xxiv, f. 1. 



