184 BVRMA, ITS PEOPLE AXD PRODUCTIOXS. 



Lcins air-bre;itlicrs, luivc only to raiso their mouths out of water to take in their 

 modicum of air. 



Others of tlicse genera, as A)i/l<ixsi.s (sp.), Biulis, yandax, Vafopra, lihynchohthlla 

 and Jrnifdcemba/Ks, are apparently polvf^amous. 



Of the whole of these AfaHtho})terij(ji(ins, but few are generally distributed 

 through the iiihind tanks far from the sea-level, or beds of large rivers ; these 

 exceptions are the little Amhassis, a goby, Gohiun giuris, the small Badis, the percoid 

 Nandm, the ' walking fishes ' Ophioccphalus, and the spined eels, Rkijnchobdella and 

 Mastacemhalus. 



Of the second, or marine division, of this order of fishes, some, as Lafcs 

 calearifer, Currina cuitur, and Equiila, though marine, ascend rivers at certain 

 seasons to obtain food, sometimes going long distances up their course ; thus I have 

 taken L. calearifer at Mandalay, about 650 miles from tlie sea, evidently following 

 the shoals of Clupea /.ulasah for ])rcdaceous purposes. 



Fishes of the order I'/ii/so-ifoiiii, or those in which the air-vessel communicates 

 ■with the pharynx by means of a pneumatic duct, contain the largest proportion of the 

 Indian fiesh-water fishes. One of these families {Siluridte) is destitute of scales, 

 whilst they are present in the Cijprinida, which have no teeth in tlie jaws or palate, 

 and also in the herrings [Chipeidie), the majority of which have a trenchant abdomen 

 (as the hilsa, Clupea palaxali), or generally a few minute teeth in the jaws or palate. 

 The Xotoptirida; which also belong to tliis order, furnish some species which are 

 esteemed l)y the natives. 



The Siliiroid family Sihiridrv are commonly known as Cat-fishes, because they 

 generally possess a number of long barbels arranged around the mouth. These fishes 

 mostly prefer muddy to clear water, as such conceals their presence. The more 

 developed and numerous these barbels, the better adapted these fish seem to be for an 

 inland aiid muddy fresh-water residence, whilst, on the contrary, those which are stiictly 

 marine do not appear to be so well f lU'uished with these appendages. Siluroid fishes are 

 also generally armed with strong spines in the fin of the back, and the pectoral fins, 

 and which as a rule are serrated: with these, severe wounds are often inflicted, which 

 renders the handling of them dangerous. The Siluroid fishes which are captured in 

 the fresh waters mostly belong to the following 25 genera, excluding Chaca, some of 

 which are marine : — 1 Aki/sis, 2 £retJiides, 3 3Lierones, 4 EUa, 5 Ariax, 6 Panr/asius, 

 7 Pseiideutroijius, 8 CaUichronx, 9 IVailaga, 10 Oli/ra, II Si In r us, 12 Clariax, 13 Sacco- 

 braiiehus, 14 Siluridia, \b AUia, 16 Ai/iic/i//ii/ii, \1 Eutropiiehthi/s, 18 Sif:ur, 19 Gayata, 

 20 Ifemipimelodwi, 21 Bar/ariux, 22 Pseudee/ieiieis, 23 G/i/p/o.sieniiiM, 24 Ambli/ceps and 

 25 Exoitoma. Of these the following eighteen are wholly resident in the plains and 

 do not extend into the hills, and of these the first eiglit have the air-vessel free in the 

 abdominal cavity and not inclosed in bone, Eretliides, liiia, Arias, Pangasius, 

 I'seudeutropius, Callielirons and Ulilhir/o, whilst the next ten have it more or less 

 inclosed, Clarias, Saccubranehus, tiiluridia, Ailia, Ailiiehtln/s, Eufropiichthys, Sisor, 

 Gnejatii, Ilemipimelodus and Pai/ariits. Three genera, extending from the plains into 

 the hills (destitute of Alpine sources), possess an air-vessel lying free in the al)doniinal 

 cavity, Akijsis, Olijra and Silurus ; whilst four genera, extending into the hills (with 

 or without Alpine so\irces), possess an inclosed air-vessel, and the first two are 

 moreover furnished with a thoracic adhesive apparatus, Pseudoechineis, Glyptosternum, 

 , A)nbli/ceps and Exostuma. 



From the foregoing observations it appears that the majority of the genera of 

 Indian fresh-water Siluroids have their air-vessel inclosed in bone, whilst it is not 

 so inclosed in any of the marine forms ; that among the Siluroids of hilly regions, 

 those which ascend rivers having Alpine sources have the air-vessel inclosed in. 

 bone, whilst those which ascend rivers not snow-fed do not appear of necessity to 

 have their air-vessel thus piotected." 



These observations of Dr. Day are of groat interest, but for fuller particulars refer- 

 ence must bo made to his admirable rejiorts. The following observations are, however, 

 condensed from his cbajiter on the ' respiration of fishes.' Fishes may, as regards their 

 respiration, be divided into water-breathers and air-breathers, the former never re- 

 quiring direct access to the air ; the latter rapidly dying of sufl'ocatiou if denied it. In 



