12 NATURAL HISTORY. 



Konkau Coast than on that of the flat desert regions to the north- 

 ward. 



The flat-fishes close the list of spineless fishes for this coast, 

 and in the next order we shall find plenty of prickles, though they 

 do not extend through the whole fin, as in the Perch and its fol- 

 lowers. * 



This is the order of Physostomi, and the first family, the Siluri- 

 dce or cat-fishes, is one of the most important in India. The fresh 

 water cat-fishes are much the same in the Konkan as above Ghat, 

 very numerous in individuals, and growing to a considerable size, 

 considering the confined waters that they inhabit. Wallago attu 

 attains here to about 3 feet in length. 



The marine cat-fishes are few in species, but one of the genera, 

 Arius swarms in the estuaries and on muddy bottoms at 5 or 6 

 fathoms. It is essentially a bottom feeding fish, and does not, I think, 

 go far out to sea. This fish has the extraordinary habit of carrying 

 its eo-gs in its month until hatched. It has an armour-plated head 

 and three spines, being the first rays of the dorsal and pectoral fins. 

 The fry, when hatched, crowd up the estuaries with the tide and do 

 a good deal of submarine scavenging ; besides furnishing great 

 sport to the little boys ; who catch them by dozens with the simplest 

 tackle. The Arii reach eight or ten pounds weight at least, and are 

 said to be good eating. I have not tried them. The Maratha name 

 is « Shingada" or " Homy fish." 



Less common than the Arii are two species of Plotosus, called 

 in Maratha " Kalan." They are hideous brutes, with pretty much 

 the body of an eel, a round head and a bunch of short thick feelers 

 round the mouth. They have the same dorsal and pectoral spines 

 as the arii, and the wound of these is so much dreaded by the 

 half-naked fishermen that the hauling aboard of a "Kalan" is 

 followed by a general scramble out of his reach. It appears to me 

 that the fish quite understands his weapons, and writhes his body in a 

 jerking fashion so as to strike with the erected pectoral spines. 

 I have often seen one drive the spine deep into other fish lying 

 beside him in the bottom of a boat. It is possible that he may 

 use similar fence in killing fish too large for his comparatively 

 feeble jaws ; but this is matter of speculation only. Contrary to the 



* Note.— Strictly speaking, classification by fin-prickles refers to the paired, fins 

 which in fish represent the limbs of other Vertebrates. But the vertical fins are also, 

 important ; and what is more, they arc only apparently single, being formed by the 

 coalescence of double lateral elements. 



