106 TELEOSTEI. PHY8OSTOMT. 



with rough ridges. Mouth small, transverse, inferior, the upper 

 jaw the longer. Barbels the maxillary reach the pectoral spine, 

 and are dilated at their bases. From the lower lip there is a sort 

 of flap, having a rather long barbel at either side, which reaches 

 the gill-opeuing ; and two more intermediate but shorter ones ; 

 between these flaps are several sh'ort "barbels 6ii a transverse line 

 across the chin. There are five plates on either side o the base of 



Fig. 43. Sisor rhabdopho 



the dorsal fin, behind which the back has six elevated scale-like 

 plates along the median line ; the last forms a spine before the 

 Vertical from the anal fin. The last half of the body is covered by 

 12 osseous rings, having a sharp edge above and on each side, as 

 is seen in the pipe-fishes. The lateral line has also a series of 

 smaller rough bony plates. Fins dorsal rather higher than long, 

 its first undivided ray weak, and finely serrated anteriorly. 

 Pectoral spine compressed, not quite so long as the head, serrated 

 on both edges, but in general strongly so externally. The ventrals 

 arise u-nder the posterior dorsal rays. The anal commences behind 

 the vertical from the spine on the back. Upper caudal ray with a 

 long prolongation. Colour blackish above, lighter below. 



Hob. Indus, JSind, Ganges, and Jumna rivers in Northern India, 

 Bengal, and Behar : the largest I have seen was about 8 inches long, 

 excluding the caudal filament. Not uncommon at Delhi. This 

 fish is only eaten by the lowest and poorest classes. It is said to 

 lie under stones when young. 



2. Genus PSEUDECHENEIS, Blyth. 



Gill-openings small, not extending on to the lower surface of 

 the head, the gill-membranes being attached to a very broad 

 isthmus. Body somewhat elongate ; head rather depressed. An 

 adhesive apparatus formed of transverse folds of slun situated on 

 the thorax between the bases of the pectoral fins. Eyes small, 

 subcutaneous, on the upper surface of the head. Mouth trans- 

 verse, small, inferior. Nostrils on either side approximating, 

 divided by a barbel Barbels eight, the maxillary pair with broad 

 bases. Teeth villiform in the jaws, palate edentulous. Dorsal 



