370 LIEUT.-COL. W. H. SYKES ON THE 
An elongated, compressed fish : head flat: eyes so much on the edge or side of the 
head as to be seen in half their diameter from below: dorsal fin of 8 rays, first ray a 
double bone serrated behind, situated near the shoulders ; second dorsal fin a spatulate 
membrane ; pectoral fins of 12 rays, first ray a strong bone, sharply toothed on the 
posterior edge ; ventral fins of 6 rays, situated a little behind a perpendicular dropped 
from the last ray of the first dorsal fin ; anal fin of 50 rays, not reaching to the tail : tail 
deeply forked, of 28 rays, including 6 small rays beyond the longest ray on the under 
lobe, and 5 on the outside of the longest ray on the upper lobe ; point of upper lobe as 
low as the line of the back, the tail being bent downwards from the end of the second 
dorsal and anal fins: mouth furnished with 8 ftentacule, of which the 2 smallest are 
situated close to the nostrils, 2 long ones (33 inches long) are placed on each side of the 
upper lip, reaching to the end of the ventral fins, and 4 are on the under lip, arranged 
two and two, and they are nearly as long as the head: the snout nearly on a line with 
the level of the back, which is very slightly raised: belly more arched than the back. 
Length of the fish 9 inches ; height 2 inches : back slate-colour, silvery on the sides and 
abdomen: neighbourhood of the eyes reddish. Bears some resemblance in form and 
colour to the Goongwaree, but grows to the size of a foot, the latter never exceeding 7 
inches. 
Found in the Beema river, near Pairgaon. The Mahratta name is ‘ Taakree.’ 
Neither Hamilton nor Russell have any fish identical with the Taakree. 
Genus Bacrus, Cuvier. 
Bacrus YARRELLI. 
Tab. LXV. Fig. 1. 
A Bagrus, with the first rays of the pectoral and dorsal fins terminating in long fleshy tendrils, and ser- 
rated behind; with 8 cirri, two of which ave as long as the head, thick, fleshy, and being lateral elon- 
gations of the upper lip; other cirri very short; head broad, covered with a granulated bony plate; the 
fish olive-brown, marked with black blotches like a Dalmatian dog ; second dorsal fleshy, triangular. 
A remarkably flat and broad-headed fish : eyes very small and distant from the nose : 
pectoral fins of 13 rays, the outer ray a bone serrated behind, elongating into a fleshy 
thread ; first dorsal fin of 8 rays, the first ray a very short bone, the second a prickle, 
terminating in a fleshy thread, extending beyond the membrane; second dorsal fin 
without rays, fleshy, triangular ; ventral fins of 6 rays, situated behind a perpendicular 
from the last dorsal ray ; anal fin immediately below the second dorsal fin, of 12 rays: 
tail deeply forked, of 17 rays, besides 8 minute rays outside the largest rays, the longest 
rays terminating in long fleshy fibres: mouth furnished on each side with two long, 
fleshy, thickish feelers, which appear to be lateral elongations of the upper lip: nostrils 
close to the base of the labial feelers, and each having at the mouth side a small, erect, 
fleshy fibre: lower jaw with 4 short feelers. Colour of the fish deep olive-brown, 
towards the belly yellowish brown, and marked with spots like a Dalmatian dog. 
