218 SILUIUIKK. 



86. CALLOMYSTAX. 



Two dorsal fins the anterior with a strong spine, the posterior 

 adipose ; anal rather short. Teeth in both jaws minute ; palate 

 edentulous ; mouth small, transverse, at the lower side of the snout, 

 the intermaxillaries and mandibularies being short, small. Barbels 

 eight : those of the maxillaries are osseous to some extent, and pro- 

 vided with a broad basal membrane ; nasal barbels short, attached 

 to the flap covering the posterior nostril ; two pairs of mandibulary 

 barbels inserted in a transverse series immediately behind the margin 

 of the lower lip. Anterior and posterior nostrils close together. Eyes 

 of moderate size, without free orbital margin. The upper side of the 

 head with longitudinal ridges, which are covered with thin skin. 

 Gill-openings of moderate width, the gill-membranes being confluent 

 with the skin of the isthmus. Ventrals six-rayed, inserted behind 

 the dorsal. 



Bengal. 



1. Callomystax gagata. 



Pimelodus gagata, Ham. Buck. Fish. Gang. pp. 197, 379. pi. 39. fig. 65. 

 Gagata typus, Bleek. Nederl. Tydschr. Dierk. 1863, p. 90 * 



B. 6. D. 1/6. A. 15. P. 1/9. V. 6. 



Head and body compressed ; the height of the body is two-sevenths 

 of the total length (without caudal), the length of the head two- 

 ninths ; head higher than broad, with the upper profile convex and 

 with the snout subcorneal. The occipital process is narrow, and 

 extends nearly to the basal bone of the dorsal spine ; the fonticulus 

 on the upper side of the head is uninterruptedly continued along the 

 whole length of the occipital process ; eye lateral, in the middle, and 

 one-fifth of the length, of the head. Nasal barbels very small ; the 

 maxillary barbels extend to the end of the head, the outer ones of 

 the mandible to the gill-opening. The gill-opening extends down- 

 wards to the throat, and is separate from the other by a rather narrow 

 isthmus. Dorsal fin high ; its spine is as long «s the head, serrated 

 in front,. and entire behind. Adipose fin as long as dorsal ; cauda 1 

 deeply forked. Pectoral spine as strong and nearly as long as that 

 of the dorsal fin. All the fins black with whitish base, except the 

 caudal, which is whitish. Young specimens with oblique blackish 

 bands across the back, and the dorsal and caudal fins. 



Ganges. 

 d-e. Types of the species. Presented by G. P. Waterhouse, Esq. 



* Dr. v. Bleeker does not appear to have been acquainted with this fish, so 

 that hot only the characters of the-genus which he proposed for it are incorrect, 

 but it is also improperly referred to the " Phalanx" of Arii, and to the " Stirps" 

 of Bagrini. 



