299 
gillmembrane. Height of dorsal, without the filamentous prolon- 
gation of the first ray which may occur, nearly equal to head; 
upper border of dorsal strongly declivous. Dorsal spine flat, 
serrated posteriorly, anteriorly only at its top; equal to head 
from anterior nostril. Base of adipose fin much shorter than that 
of dorsal, more than thrice in the distance between both. Anal 
emarginate, its height somewhat more than postorbital part 
of head. Caudal deeply forked, its median rays nearly '/, of 
its pointed lobes. Ventrals very broad, rounded, extending 
on anal. Pectorals slightly longer than head without snout, 
their flattened spine similar to that of the dorsal but con- 
Fig. 123. Arius stirlingt Ogilby. About nat. size. 
siderably shorter. Axillary pore minute. Villiform teeth in 
upper jaw in a slightly arcuate, broad band. In the lower jaw 
in a divided, somewhat narrower band. Vomerine teeth in two 
oval patches, separated by an interspace of half their width. 
Palatine patches narrowly separated from and nearly twice 
as wide as vomerine patches, they are ovate with the axes 
directed obliquely antero-posteriorly. 11 stiff, flattened, trian- 
gular gillrakers, ventrally decreasing rapidly in size, the longest 
shorter than the branchial filaments. Dorsal surface dark reddish 
