111 



covering. Ventral of a similar form to the pectoral ; its first and 

 a portion of its second ray also with a striated cutaneous covering; 

 the fin commences on a vertical line falling just behind the base of 

 the dorsal fin, is rather nearer the snout than the posterior end 

 of the adipose dorsal, and commences midway between the bases 

 of the ventral and caudal fins ; it is half higher than long. Caudal 

 cut almost square. Free portion of the tail one half higher than 

 long. Skin tuberculated from the head along the lower surface 

 of the body to nearly as far as the bases of the ventrals. Colour 

 of a dull yellowish green, becoming lightest along the abdomen. 

 Fins yellowish, with dark edges or bands. 



Hal. Le^ or Ladak, and along the head -waters of the Indus 

 it attains to about 7 inches in length. 



Second group. CHACINA. 

 4. Genus CHACA, Cuvier and Valenciennes. 



Branchiostegals six to eight. Head large, depressed. Gape of 

 mouth very wide ; lower jaw prominent. Gill-openings somewhat 

 contracted, the membranes confluent with the skin of the isthmus. 

 Barbels six *, one maxillary and two mandibular pairs. Teeth 

 villiform in both jaws, palate edentulous. Two rayed dorsal fins, 

 the first having one strong spine and three or four rays, the 

 second confluent with the caudal. Two rayed anal fins, the first 

 with from eight to ten rays, the second somewhat longer and con- 

 fluent with the caudal. Ventral with six rays, and situated behind 

 the first dorsal. Air-bladder rather large, somewhat cardiform in 

 shape, concave anteriorly, lying across the bodies of the anterior 

 vertebrae and not enclosed in bone. No axillary pore. 



Geographical Distribution. Large rivers of Bengal, Assam, and 

 Burma, and sluggish fresh waters in their vicinity. It extends as 

 far as the Malay Archipelago. 



118. (1.) Cnaca lophioides. (Fig. 46.) 



Platystacus chaca, Ham. Buck. Fish. Ganges, pp. 140, 374, pi. 28, 



fig. 43. 

 Chaca lophioides, Day, Fish. India, p. 481, pi. cxii, fig. 2 (see synon.). 



Coor-cur-riah, Ooriah ; Pemd, Bhagalpur (Ham. Buch.) ; Godir, 

 Marathi. 



B. vi. D. 1/3-4 | 19-25. P. 1/5. V. 6. A. 8-10 | 8-12. C. 11. 

 Length of head 3, of caudal fin 6 to 8, height of body 6 in the. 

 total length. Eyes small, in the anterior fourth of the head ; the 

 width of the interorbital space equals half the length of the head, 

 and along it runs a deep central groove. Head strongly depresses, 



* Eight, if there is a nasal pair. 



