﻿60 GANGETic FISHES. Order IV. 



and flattened towards the jaws ; and it is short in proportion to 

 the body. The mouth is large, and descends backward, the un- 

 der jaw being the longest. The lips are fleshy, with a small 

 bone belonging to each side of the upper. In both jaws are 

 many small teeth crowded together, with some large sharp co- 

 nical ones intermixed in certain places. The tongue is smooth, 

 and not tied down. Each nostril has two apertures ; one tubu- 

 lar near the jaw, and the other circular near the eye. The eyes 

 are of moderate size, and placed at a distance from each other, 

 but rather high. The gill-covers move freely, and leave a large 

 aperture. Their membranes cover the throat, and are there half 

 exposed to view. They are thick ; but, although the rays are 

 concealed by the covers, these do not prevent the number of 

 rays which they contain from being ascertained. 



The body is slippery. When there are lateral lines they com- 

 mence on the shoulders, suddenly bend down behind the pec- 

 toral fins, and from thence run along the tail in the middle of 

 its depth. Some of the species, however, have no lateral lines. 



There are seven fins, of which the dorsal extends from the 

 head to near the end of the tail, and that behind the vent ex- 

 tends from this organ as far as the dorsal does. Both are very 

 high, and their rays are of nearly equal lengths, but rather 

 longer behind than before. The pectorals, which are low down, 

 and the tail fin, are rounded. The former are shorter than the 

 head, and the ventral fins, which are near each other, are still 

 smaller. 



■* 1st Species. — Ophiocephalus wrahl? PI. XXXI. Fig. 17. 



An ophiocephalus with from forty-three to forty- six rays in 

 the dorsal fin ; with many irregular black belts surrounding the 

 body ; and with the hinder parts of the back and anal fins 

 spotted with black. 



