﻿Tetrodon. gangetic fishes. 9 



and white below ; with a large black circular spot on each 

 side, where the tail commences, and with the under jaw the 

 longest. 



This fish seldom exceeds four inches in length, and is 

 miserably tormented by idle children, who amuse themselves 

 by inflating its belly. Every where watered by the Ganges and 

 its branches, it is common enough in ponds and in small 

 rivers. 



The cutcutia is entirely smooth ; and its belly, when in- 

 flated, forms more than half a sphere. The tip of the tail, 

 fin, and the eyes, are red. 



The head is rather flat and small, and ends bluntly. The 

 nostrils are covered by undivided membranes. The eyes are 

 large, and look downward. I can perceive no ray in the gill 

 membranes. 



The back slopes very gently from the middle of the fish in 

 both directions, and is convex. There is no lateral line. 



The back fin is rounded, and contains twelve ravs. The 

 pectoral fins are rounded, and each contains about twenty-one 

 rays. The anal fin is rounded, and contains eleven rays. 

 The tail fin is i-ounded, and contains eight rays, which project 

 a little beyond the membrane. 



4th Species. — Tetrodon caria. 



A tetrodon with the body very slightly compressed, entirely 

 unarmed, above green, with irregular dusky marks, and below 

 black ; and with jaws nearly equal in length. 



This fish is found in the river Kosi, and differs so little 

 from the cutcutia, that I cannot take upon myself to say, 

 whether it is a distinct species or a mere variety. Besides 

 the circumstances related in the specific character, it wants 

 the large spot on the sides, by which the cutcutia is distin- 



