5. CNIDOGLANIS. 27 



? Plotosus albilabris, Cant. Mai. Fish. p. 265. 



Plotosus macrophthalmus, Bleek. Verh. Bat. Gen. xxi., Silur. Bat. p. 56. 



ID. 1/4-5. 2D. + C. + A. 203-216. P. 1/12-13. V. 12-13. 



Head nearly as high as broad, its width being two-thirds of its 

 length. The height of the body is one-seventh or one-eighth of the 

 total length, the length of the head one-sixth ; the diameter of the 

 eye is one-fourth or one-sixth of the length of the head, and equal 

 to, or two-thirds of, the width of the interorbital space. The nasal 

 barbels extend to, or beyond, the operculum, those of the maxillary 

 being rather shorter. Each intermaxillary with a subquadrangular 

 band of teeth which is about as broad as long ; vomerine band cres- 

 cent-shaped. The first dorsal fin is nearly as high as the body, and 

 the length of its spine is two-fifths of that of the head or equal to 

 that of the spine of the pectoral fin. Lips white. 



East Indian Archipelago. 



a. Adult. From Dr. P. v. Bleeker's Collection. 



b. ? Young : skin : very bad state. Pinang. From Dr. Cantor's 



Collection. 



5. CNIDOGLANIS*. 



Plotosus, sp., Auct. 



A short dorsal in front, with a pungent spine; a second long 

 dorsal is united with the caudal and anal into one fin, pointed behind. 

 Teeth in the upper jaw conical, on the vomer molar-like, in the lower 

 jaw mixed. Barbels eight; nostrils as in Plotosus. Cleft of the 

 mouth transverse. Eyes small. The gill-membranes are united below 

 the throat and attached to the isthmus along the entire median line. 

 The second and third branchial arches with a series of long cartila- 

 ginous, processes, covering the base of the gill-laminae on the sides 

 facing each other. Ventral fins many-rayed. 



Rivers and coasts of Australia. 



1. Cnidoglanis megastoma. 



Plotosus megastomus, Richards. Voy. Ereb. 8f Terr. Fish.]). 31. pi. 21, 

 figs. 1-3 (from a specimen with mutilated tail). 



B. 11. ID. 1/4. 2D. + C. + A. 234. P. 1/9. V. 10. 



Head very broad and depressed, its length being one-fifth of tne 

 total (with the caudal). Barbels not very long ; those of the nostril 

 and maxillary extending somewhat behind the eye. Lower lip broad, 

 pendent, with lobes, the outer of which is situated below the max- 

 illary barbel and has the appearance of a short barbel. The inter- 

 maxillary teeth are small, conical, and form two small patches ; those 

 of the lower jaw form a broad band, tapering on the side, the outer 

 series of which is formed by conical teeth, the remainder being molar- 



* 1. Plotosus rnaerocephalus, Cuv. $ Val. xv. p. 428. pi. 449. — Timor. — This 

 fish appears to be allied to Cnidoglanis megastoma, but Valenciennes 

 does not make mention of the peculiar gill-opening which we observe 

 in the latter species. 



