70 TELEOSTEI. PHYSOSTOMJ. 



openings inferior, the membrane adherent to the isthmus. Ver- 

 tebrae 106/65. Colour greenish, or of a chestnut-brown, becom- 

 ing lighter on the abdomen ; numerous black spots over the body ; 

 occasionally individuals are flesh-coloured. 



" Natives reject it as food and imagine that its bite is fatal to 

 cattle, although less powerful on the human kind a supposition 

 highly improbable." (Ham. Buck.) 



Hab. Fresh and brackish waters of the Punjab, Bengal, Orissa, 

 Assam and Burma ; attaining at least two feet in length. 



Second group. SYMBEANCHINA. 

 2. Genus MONOPTERUS, Lacepede. 

 Syn. Fluta, Bl. Schn. ; Ophicardia, McClelland ; Apteriyia, Basilewski. 



Branchiostegals five or six. Gill-membranes almost entirely 

 attached to the isthmus, having a single transverse opening. Three 

 branchial arches separated by moderately wide intermediate slits, 

 with the laminae rudimentary or absent. Palatine teeth in a narrow 

 band. Scales absent. No accessory breathing-sac. 



Dareste observed a complete absence of branchial lamina? in 

 three examples of Monopterus javanensis. 



71. (1.) Monopterus javanensis. (Fig. 28.) 



Monopterus javanensis, Lacfpede, II. N. Poiss. ii, p. 139 ; Day, 

 Fish. India, p. G50, pi. clxix, fig. 1 (see synon.). 



Length of head contained 9 to 12 times in the distance between 

 the end of the snout and the vent : length of body about four or 

 five times that of the tail. Eyes situated about midway between 



Fig. 28. Monopterus javanensis and upper teeth. 



angle of mouth and end of snout, diameter one eighth of length of 

 head, 2 diameters from end of snout and 1 to 1| apart. Greatest 

 diameter of fish at the occiput. Profile of upper surface of head 

 descending somewhat suddenly from above the eyes to the snout, 

 which last is pointed and somewhat compressed. Extent of cleft 

 of mouth equal to about one third the distance bet\veen end of snout 

 and gill-opening. Tail narrow and tapering to a point. Teeth 

 conical, and in a band tapering towards the angle of the mouth ; 



