WATERS OF WESTERN INDIA. 



sand, and of shallow waters, where they are usually taken with the 

 seine, or with small nets. 



Passing over a small and uninteresting family (Pseudochromides) 

 we come to the Batrachidce, or toad-fishes. Ours are only remarkable 

 for ugliness and size (reaching 3 feet long), but an American Pacific 

 species [Thalassophryne reticulatv.s) is probably alone among fishes 

 in possessing a blood-poisoning apparatus inferior in degree only to 

 that of a venomous snake. The operculum or gill cover has a long 

 tubular spine with a poison-sac at its base, containing a venom 

 supposed to be secreted in the muciferous channels, and capable 

 of causing fever, though apparently no more. 



The attention devoted to this remarkable fish may help us 

 hereafter with other " sting-fishes. " Most practical fishermen 

 believe in a specific poison in the wounds inflicted by various species, 

 especially the northern " Piky Dog-fish" {Sjpinax), and some 

 tropical Siluroids. The effects are far too severe to be due to the 

 mere laceration of the most serrated spine, and it is probable that 

 the mucus is more or less poisonous. 



In a similar way the secretions of the skin of some otherwise 

 harmless reptiles (especially, according to Mr. Murray, the Sind 

 " biscobra, " Euhlepharis HardwicJcii) are certainly capable of 

 causing irritation to the epidermis, a fortiori more if inoculated. 



An European member of one of the following families, Coitus 

 scorpio of the Cottidoe, is much dreaded at home on this very score ; 

 inflicting injuries altogether out of proportion to the size of its little 

 prickles. Passing over these and one or two others, we come to the 

 Gobies, very numerous and interesting to people who know more 

 about them already than I can write here, or perhaps anywhere. 

 They are small, often brightly coloured, or at least well marked, and 

 " too numerous to mention." There are however, two goggle-eyed 

 genera, which are really among the wonders of the coast. 

 BerioptTialmus and Boleopthalrnus, the leaping fishes or "mud 

 fish" of the tidal waters. The Marathas call those which frequent 

 muddy creeks "Niwte" and those of rocky shores "Kharba." The 

 former may be seen, whenever the tide is out, crawling in myriads 

 over the mud, getting in and out of each other's way in the most 

 ludicrous fashion, and all disappearing in the mud as by magic, 

 when alarmed. B. Boddaerti is our commonest here. It has bright 

 blue spots. Those of the rocks, which are mostly Periopthalmi, are 

 very provoking to any one hunting the tidal pools for specimens. 



