38 CHONDROPTEKTOn. BATOIDEI. 



half a diameter of the eye in width. Nostrils situated about one 

 and a half transverse lengths from the mouth ; they have long 

 triangular narrow valves in their upper, and a hem-like one at 

 their lower margins ; their distance asunder posteriorly equals 

 their length, and is twice as much anteriorly. Teeth small, 

 longer than broad. Fins the first dorsal commences just behind 

 the ventral ; the second dorsal midway between the posterior 

 extremity of the first dorsal and the base of the caudal. The two 

 dorsals are of equal size, their upper margins concave, and the 

 posterior lobe of each produced. Posterior margin of the caudal 

 deeply excavated so as to form two lobes. A keel passes along the 

 tail, dividing the lateral from the abdominal surfaces. Colour 

 greyish-yellow above, whitish beneath. Iris golden, with a black 



Hob. Seas of India to the Malay Archipelago, ascending rivers ; 

 attaining 20 feet and upwards in length. The flesh is equally 

 esteemed with that of the sharks. The fins are prepared and sent 

 to China : oil is extracted from the livers, whilst the skins are 

 useful for sword-scabbards or for smoothing down wood. 



39. (2.) Pristis perrotteti. 



Pristis perrotteti, Mutt. $ Henle, Plagios. p. 108 ; Day, Fish. India, 

 p. 729, pi. cxci, fig. 1 (see synon.). 



Kundah, Ooriah. 



Rostrum of moderate breadth, rather narrow anteriorly, armed 

 with from seventeen to twenty pairs of teeth, mostly about the 

 same number on either side, and commencing at the base of the 

 snout ; the first four pairs being opposite one another, and the 

 breadth of the base of each anteriorly being about equal to one 

 third of the interspace. Spiracles placed very obliquely, from 

 1 to 1| diameters behind the orbit. Teeth larger than in P. cus- 

 pidatus or P. zysron, oval, longer than broad. Fins the first 

 dorsal almost entirely in advance of the ventral ; second dorsal 

 commences nearly midway between the posterior extremity of the 

 first dorsal and the base of the caudal ; these two fins are of 

 about equal size ; inferior margin of the caudal with a faint indi- 

 cation of a lobe. Colour reddish brown superiorly, becoming 

 dull white along the abdominal surface ; iris golden, with a black 



Hob. Tropical seas, entering rivers. In the Mahanadi river, 

 Orissa, I observed it at least forty miles from the sea, far beyond 

 the influence of the tides, where I obtained several specimens 4 ft. in 

 length. In Orissa it is only eaten by the sweepers and the very 

 lowest castes. 



40. (3.) Pristis zysron. 



I 

 Vetta torrah, Tamil. 



Pristis zysron, Sleeker, Eotav. Gen. Verhand. xxiv, Plagios. p. 55 ; 

 Day, Fish. India, p. 729, pi. cxci, fig. 2 (see synon.). 



