hay LIEUT.-COL. W. H. SYKES ON THE 
Fam. ‘ Poaryneiens LasyrinTHiForMEs,’ Cuy. 
Genus Opuiceruatus, Bloch. 
OPpHICEPHALUS LEUCOPUNCTATUS. 
Tab. LX. Fig. 3. 
An Ophicephalus, with from 51 to 53 rays in the dorsal, and 6 in each ventral fin, and with the rays of the 
dorsal and anal fins undivided; the pectoral fins ending in a central point; and the fish covered with 
white dots. 
This fish is of a long and roundish form, and of a reddish or brown-black colour : the 
head is very flat; the eyes close to the snout, circular, and having yellow irides. 
The dorsal fin has from 51 to 53 rays, and extends from near the shoulders almost to 
the tail ; the anal fin has from 33 to 35 rays, and, commencing at the middle of the fish, 
terminates near the tail ; the pectoral fins have each from 15 to 17 rays ; the ventral 
fins are situated beneath the pectoral, and near to each other, and have each six rays ; 
the rays are divided ; the caudal fin has 13 rays, exclusive of two or three minute outer 
rays: the tail is compressed, not forked, but oval-acuminate at the end. The scales 
are numerous ; the mouth wide, and furnished with very small teeth in double rows. 
The tail is speckled with white spots, and so are the dorsal and anal fins, and the body 
is partially speckled with white. A faint longitudinal line is observable on each side 
of the body, extending from the upper insertion of the pectoral fins to the tail. The 
length of a specimen brought me at Munchar from the Goreh river was 36 inches, and 
its weight was 3+ seers (6 lbs. 6 oz. 8 drs. 7 grs., avoirdupois). The fish sometimes 
weighs 6 seers (11 Ibs. 13 oz. 4 drs. 8 grs.). The flesh is remarkably firm and sweet, 
and the bones are small and not numerous: it is much esteemed by the natives, and 
sells at 4 seers (7 lbs. 14 oz. 2 drs. 18 grs.) per rupee. Found in all the rivers of the 
Dukhun. 
This species differs front the O. Maulius of Dr. Hamilton, in having two rays less in 
the pectoral fins, in the absence of the ocellated spots on the tail-fin, in the dorsal, anal, 
and tail fins not being rounded behind, and in having numerous white spots; neither 
is it identical with any one of the species of Ophicephalus figured in Russell’s ‘ Coroman- 
del Fishes.’ 
I never knew this fish to crawl on shore, or in the grass, as some species of the ge- 
nus are said to do. 
Native name, ‘ Murrul.’ 
Fam. GoBiaD&. 
Genus Gosiuvs, Linn. 
Gosius KurpaH. 
Tab. LXI. Fig. 1. 
A Gobius, with 7 rays in the first dorsal fin, 11 in the second, which is of similar size with the anal fin ; 
19 in the pectoral, and 10 in the anal fin. 
