224 BURMA, ITS PEOPLE AND PRODUCTIONS. 



adaptation of a part of the muciferous system, dipt. Dow (P. Z. S. 1865, p. 167) 

 declared that the natives were aware of the emission of a poison from these organs, 

 which gave rise to fever, but without fatal effects. A slight pressure at the base 

 of the spine would cause the fluid to bo projected a foot or more from its orifice. 



Famili/ Pediculati. 



Branchiostogals 5 to 6. PseudobranchiiB absent. Gill opening reduced to a small 

 foramen in or near the axilla. Teeth minute. 



These fishes inhabit the Indian littoral, but are economically unimportant. 



Antennarius, Cuvier. 



Three dorsal spines, the first modified into a tentacle. Teeth on palate. Gill 

 opening lateral. Air-vessel present. 



A. HispiBus, Bl. Schn. 



B. vi. ; D. 3 : 12 ; P. 10 ; Y. 5 ; A. 7 ; C. 9. 



First dorsal ray erectile, as long as the second, and ending in a fleshy excrescence, 

 which Sir Emerson Tennent compares to a worm or piece of meat. Second and tliird 

 rays with skinny posterior flaps. Colour yellow, with brown spots and streaks. 



A. KCTMMIFEE, CuV. 



B. vi. ; D. 3: 12; P. 10: 13; V. 5 ; A. 7 ; C. 9. 



Pirst dorsal sjjiue not so long as the second. Colour greyish-brown tinged 

 with purple. A black ocellus, with a yellow edge behind the base of the pectoral, 

 and another below the seventh and eiglitli dorsal rays. Fins black-spotted, 



A. MABMOEATUS, Bl. Schn. 



B vi. ; D. 3 : 12 ; P. 9 : 10 ; V. 5 ; A. 7 ; C. 9. 



The first dorsal short, ending in a small knob, with a minute tentacle. Colour 

 reddish-yellow marbled with brown, and brown spots railiating fi'om the eyes. Sides 

 and belly white-spotted. A very variable species. 



Halieui^a, Cuvier et Valenciennes. 



No teeth on palate. Gill opening on the upper surface of body. No air-vessel. 



H. STELLATA, Wahl. 



B. vi. ; D. 4 ; P. 13 ; V. i ; A. 4 ; C. 9. 



A retractile tentacle above the mouth, with a trefoil extremity. Body spinous. 

 Colour pinkish. Grows to 8 inches. 



Family Cottidae. 



Branchiostegals (5) 7. Pseudobrancliiffi. Infraorbital bones articulate with the 

 prcopercle. Teeth villiform. No canines. Two dorsals. Ventrals thoracic. 



Plattcephalus, Bl. Schn. 



Lower jaw the longer. Villiform teeth in jaws, vomer, and palatines, with 

 sometimes larger ones intermixed. Two dorsal fins, with an isolated spine anteriorly. 

 Air-vessel absent. 



P. iNsiDiATou, Forsk. 



Nga-bhoo-reng-gyee. Arakan. (A-ra-wad-dah or Chou-ur-dah. Andamans.) 



B. vii. ; D. 1 : 7 : 13 ; P. 17 ; V. i ; A. 13 ; C. 15. 



Lateral line smooth. .K sjiine at the antero-suporior angle of the orbit. Nostrils 

 patent, but not tubular. Thi'ce stellate "raised grooves" on the preorbital. Two 

 strong spines at tlie preopercular angle, and two on fh(^ opcrcle. Sometimes a fine 

 spine between the dorsals. Colour brownish above, dirty white below. Fins spotted. 



