40 BULLETIN 188, tJNITED STATES NATIONAL MUSEUM 



ready sale, oil is extracted from the liver, and the fins are dried for 

 the Chinese trade; both flesh and fins are locally regarded as better 

 than those of sharks. 



In Thailand as in India the saws of sawfishes are favorite votive 

 offerings from the fishermen to the temples and shrines. Practically 

 every one of the numerous shrines in the coastal districts has a collec- 

 tion of saws of all sizes. Some of the large sawfishes that have been 

 taken in local waters are represented by their saws preserved in the 

 temples. 



The Thai vernacular name for the sawfishes is chanark. 



Genus PRISTIS Linck 



Pristis LINCK, Mag. Phys. Naturg. Gotha, ser. 3, vol. 6, p. 31, 1790. (Type, Squalus 

 pristis Linnaeus.) 



Three or four species of sawfishes of the genus Pristis are known 

 from Thai waters. Of these, two regularly ascend fresh-water streams 

 and may be found many miles from the sea. These may be identified 

 by the following characters : 



la. Origin of dorsal fin behind base of ventrals ; under part of caudal with a 

 prominent lobe ; rostrum comparatively narrovp and slender, tapering 

 very gradually or of approximately same vridth throughout, with 23 to 35 

 pairs of teeth, first pair inserted about 3 times width of rostrum in front 

 of eyes cuspidatus 



16. Origin of dorsal fin in advance of ventrals ; under part of caudal fin with an 

 inconspicuous lobe ; rostrum broader and more tapering, with 17 to 20 pairs 

 of teeth, first pair inserted about 2 times width of rostrum in front of 

 eyes microdon 



PRISTIS CUSPIDATUS Latham 



Pristis cuspidatus Latham, 1794, p. 279, pi. 26, fig. 3 (locality not given). 



This species of India, Malaya, the East Indies, and Thailand is com- 

 mon in the coastal waters of Thailand and pushes its way far up some 

 of the large rivers. It reaches a large size and is a very formidable 

 creature to handle either in a boat or on shore. There is a record for 

 the Tachin River in Central Thailand of a fish 8 meters long with a 

 saw 2.5 meters long and 40 cm. wide at its base. 



PRISTIS MICRODON Latham 



Pristis microdon Latham, 1794, p. 280, pi. 26, fig. 4 (locality not given). 



Pristis perrottetei Hora, 1923b, p. 144 (Nontaburi) (footnote by Malcolm Smith). 



For this species of wide Oriental distribution there is a definite rec- 

 ord of the capture of one fish 120 cm. long in tlie Menam Chao Phya 

 at Nontaburi, 62 km. from the sea. There are various records of ex- 

 amples taken in the river below Bangkok and in the lower parts of 

 other rivers. A fish entangled in a net in the Menam Chao Phya above 



