﻿Gobius. — 9,d Div. gangetic fishes. 45 



close to the eyes. The gill-covers move freely, and expose the 

 membrane to view. The aperture of the gills is of moderate 

 size. 



The vent is nearly in the middle. There are small scales all 

 over the body, and on the greater part of the head. 



The dorsal fins are quite distinct. The rays of the first are 

 undivided, but not prickly, and are longer than those of the 

 second ; all of which are nearly equal in length. In all the 

 species that I have seen, all these rays are separated by distinct 

 wide membranes ; in which respect they differ from the Nettee 

 Kunla Motah of Russell, [Indian Fishes, Vol. 1. No. 54,) a fish 

 nearly allied to them ; but, as Dr Russell says, that the rays of 

 the first dorsal fin unite into a setaceous thread, his fish has 

 also a strong affinity to my Gobius viridis, although it belongs, 

 no doubt, to this second division of the genus. The pectoral 

 fins are situated low, and are rounded. The ventral fin always 

 contains twelve rays ; but differs in shape in different species. 

 The anal fin is placed opposite to the second on the back, and 

 is of a similar form. That of the tail is very oblique, and al- 

 ways undivided, ending in a sharp point. 



4th Species. — Gobius plinianus. Plate XXXV. Fig. ]3. 



A gobius with the pectoral fins inserted into a muscular pro- 

 tuberance; with five rays longer than the membrane in the 

 first fin of the back ; and with twenty-six rays in the second fin 

 of the back, as well as in that behind the vent. 



This being the most common species, and all the native 

 names of these fishes being generic, I have named it after Pliny, 

 to commemorate the care which this distinguished Roman be- 

 stowed on the investigation of nature. 



This fish above is of a brownish colour, and beneath whitish, 

 with many irregular and incomplete transverse black belts. All 



