208 BURMA, ITS PEOPLE AXD PRODCCTIOSS. 



Interorbital space deeply concave, traversed by two low ridges, ending in a spine, 

 rrcopcrclc with 3 spines on its vertical border. Orbit spinod and serrated. Turbiual 

 spines present. Stellate ridges on the preorbital. A long tentacle on the oibit, and 

 a large fleshy tentacle over the gape. Doisal spines increase to the seventh. Caudal 

 wedge-shaped. Body banded with narrow intermediate ones. A black blotch, white 

 centred on the a.xilla. Dor.sal spines annulated with black. 8oft dorsal and anal 

 black spotted. Caudal sinuously banded. Pectoi'al and ventral tins banded. 



The Andamans. 



P. VOLITANS, L. 



Checb-ta-dah. Andamans. 



B. vii. ; D. 12 To-Hf ; P. 14 ; V. i ; A. ;-2 ; C. ] 4. 



Interobital space deeply concave, two-ridged, and with the nape scaleless. 

 Preopercle with 2 or 3 spines along its vertical bolder, and 3 more along its 

 lower limb. Turbinal spines present. A long tentacle over the orbit, and fleshy 

 tentacles along the lower edge of the preorbital. The first 10 dorsal spines high. 

 Reddish, with vertical brown bands, having narrower and lighter intermediate ones. 

 Three or four bands radiate from the eye. A black spot with wliite centre in the 

 axilla. Dorsal spines annulated with black. 



The Andamans. 



P. CI.NCTA, Riipp. 



B. vii.; D. 11 tt^t- I P. 16; Y. i; A. *; C. 15. 



Interorbital space very concave. Orbital margin serrate, and orbital tentacle 

 very long. Occipital and temporal ridges spinate. Several flesh tentacles on the 

 head. The eighth and ninth dorsal .spines the highest. Pectoral reaches to end of 

 caudal or farther. Colours, a deep brown white-edged band fi'om the eye to the end 

 of the interopercle, another encircles the neck, and there are six more on the body, 

 which looks as if traversed vertically by milk white bauds. A black mark in the 

 axilla. Yentrals grey. Caudal sjiotted. Snout pale. 



The Andamans. 



ArisTus, Curler. 



Head and body rather compressed. Branchiostegals 6. Xo occipital groove. 



A mandibular barbel. A single dorsal fin. Villitbrm teeth in jaws, vomer, and 



palate. Air-vessel constricted. A cleft behind the fourth gill. Scales small. 



A. c.iEiNATUS, Bl. Schn. 



B. vi. ; D. ^>^^; P. 12 -j- 1 ; V. i ; A. i ; C. 12. 



Upper surface of head roughened with two lines diverging to the occiput. 

 Preorbital and preopercle spinate. A long barbel on the mandible followed by a 

 shorter one. The dorsal spines increase to the sixth and decrease to the fourteenth. 

 Colour greyish on the back, rosy on the belly. Pectorals black. Appendages milk 

 white. Dorsal diaphanous, black edged. A deep black blotch from the eighth to the 

 fourteenth spine. Three obli(iuc bi'own streaks on the soft dorsal. Upper pectoral 

 ray white. Caudal with four black vertical bands. Anal grey, yellow margined. 



The Andamans. 



Gymnapistus, Swaimon. 



Characters much as in Apisius, but scales rudimentary or absent. 



G. NIGER, Cuv. et Val. 



Pom-tho-cho-rogue-dah. Andamans. 



B. vi. ; D. 3 TVhr ; P. 10 ; V. i ; A. ^ ; C. 9. 



Preorbital with a very strong sharp spine. Preopercle spinate. Dorsal web 

 continuous, but the third and fourth spines a trifle distant. Scales absent, save as 

 rough patches here and there. Colour brownish black, caudal yellowish white, 

 striated with brown, with a terminal dark band, white-edged. 



The Andamans. 



