﻿202 GANGETic FISHES. Order V. 



crowded numerous sharp teeth. There is scarcely any tongue. 

 On the fore part of the palate is a bone shaped like a crescent, 

 and covered with teeth. Both apertures of each nostril are 

 nearer the jaw than the eyes : the foremost is somewhat tubu- 

 lar ; the hinder is small and circular. The eyes are high, circu- 

 lar, and of moderate size. The gill-covers end behind in a blunt 

 point, are marked with diverging rays, and leave exposed their 

 membranes, which are thick, and contain many rays, the num- 

 ber of which, however, cannot be accurately ascertained. There 

 is a slit under the throat. 



The back slopes in the same slight curve with the head, and 

 before the fin has a small thinly-covered bone, which, on each 

 side, sends back a process. The shoulder-bones are thinly cover- 

 ed. The lateral lities descend from each shoulder with a curve 

 parallel to the belly, and are porous. Several single lines of 

 pores cross them at right angles. The vent is behind the mid- 

 dle, and has two apertures. The end of the tail is slightly di- 

 vided into two rounded lobes. 



The foremost dorsal fin slopes very much backward, so that 

 its edge is almost perpendicular. The first of its rays is a very 

 short bone, and the second a strong prickle, barbed on both 

 sides, and ending in a substance like whalebone ; the others are 

 branched. The hinder fin is oblong, recumbent, and rounded 

 at the end. The pectoral fins are low, shorter than the head, 

 and slightly sharpened above. Each has nine rays, of which 

 the first is a strong prickle, indented behind, and ending in a 

 substance like whalebone ; the others are branched. The ven- 

 tral fins are smaller than the pectorals, are distant from each 

 other ; and each has one undivided and five branched rays. 

 The edge of the fin behind the vent forms an arch, ending be- 

 hind in a point : the four first of its rays are undivided, and 

 gradually lengthen from the first ; the others are branched. 



