﻿228 GANGETic FISHES. Order V. 



vering. The eyes are far forward, and circular. Each gill- 

 cover is oval and sharp-pointed. Its membrane is half exposed 

 to view, and contains five rays. 



The back is nearly straight. The lateral line commences at 

 the upper end of the gills, and runs straight to the end of the 

 tail, where it bends downward. The vent is before the middle. 

 The scales adhere firmly, and are flexible and indented on the 

 edo-es. The longest of the rays, beneath each pectoral fin, 

 reaches to the vent. Above each pectoral fin is a scale-like 

 appe7idant, indented on the edge, and a smooth-edged one 

 above each ventral fin. 



Both the back fins are scaly. The foremost slopes back- 

 ward, and has seven prickles. The hinder has fourteen rays, 

 of which the two foremost are undivided and contiguous, and 

 the others are branched, the last of them being split to the 

 bottom. The pectoral fins are low, small, and sharp above ; 

 each has thirteen rays. The ends only of the ventral fins reach 

 to the vent. The fin behind that organ slopes backward, and 

 contains thirteen rays, of which the two first are undivided and 

 contiguous ; the others are branched, and the last of them is 

 split to the bottom. The tail fin is long, and deeply divided 

 into two unequal lance-shaped very sharp lobes, which have 

 twenty distinct rays. 



3d Species. — Polynemus risua. 

 A Polynemus with seven detached rays below each pectoral 

 fin, the second being the longest, and being more than twice 

 the length of the body; with seven prickles in the foremost fin 

 of the back, and seventeen in the hinder, with fifteen rays in 

 the fin behind the vent ; and with a green back, and silver co- 

 loured belly. 



