﻿50 GANGETic FISHES. Order IV. 



but have nothing of the eel-like flexibility. They are slightly 

 compressed, and their tails are shaped like a wedge. The back 

 slopes gradually and slowly from the first fin to the mouth. 



Their heads have no scales, and are blunt. They have teeth 

 in both jaws. Their eyes are placed high up, but not near each 

 other ; nor do they project from the head. They are rather small. 



The scales on the body are rather large in proportion to the 

 size of the fish. 



The back fins are quite distinct from each other. The pec- 

 toral fins are inserted directly into the side without the inter- 

 vention of a muscular protuberance. 



8th Species. — Gobius gutum. 



A gobius with eleven rays in the second back fin, which is 

 nearly as broad as the first ; with thirteen rays in each pectoral ; 

 and with a diaphanous body clouded with black dots. 



This fish I found in the lower parts of the Padda or Padma 

 River, which Major Rennell calls the Great Ganges. It is 

 three or four inches in length, and is neither very common nor 

 much sought after. Like the following, it has a very strong 

 affinity to the Gobius eleotris, (La Cepede, Hist, des Poissons^ 

 Tome n. p. 537.) 



The body is rough, and of a greenish colour, with many black 

 dots, clustered into irregular spots, resembling clouds in form. 

 The fins of the back and tail are spotted. 



The head is small, and narrower than the body. The mouth 

 is situated low, and is large, the under j^aw being the shortest. 

 The teeth are sharp ; the eyes small, with greenish irides, with- 

 in which a white circle surrounds the pupil. In the membrane 

 of each gill-cover there are three rays. 



The lateral lines can scarcely be traced. The scales adhere 



firmly, and are rough. The vent is before the middle. 

 •' 10 



