8ILTJKIDJE. 149 



of the head. Upper surface of head, opercles, and humeral process 

 with smooth ridges. Occipital process twice as long as wide at its 

 hase, no interspace between it and the basal bone. The superior lon- 

 gitudinal groove on the head shallow, reaching to opposite the hind 

 edge of the eye. Barbels the nasal rather above half the length 

 of the head, the maxillary slightly longer, the external mandibular 

 reach the, base of the pectoral fin, the internal pair are one fourth 

 shorter. Teeth in a narrow uninterrupted semilunar band across 

 the palate. Fins dorsal spine as long as the head behind the 

 middle of the eyes, strong, with about ten denticulations posteriorly, 

 and three or four anteriorly near its summit ; it ends in a soft 

 prolongation; adipose fin short, commencing over the last fourth 

 of the anal. Pectoral reaches the ventral ; pectoral spine stronger 

 than that of the dorsal and as long as the head excluding the snout, 

 serrated' externally and with 16 or 18 strong teeth internally. 

 Ventral rather above half as long as the pectoral and reaching the 

 anal; base of anal equal to the length of the head; the fin is 

 highest anteriorly. Caudal slightly or deeply lunated or even 

 forked. I'ree portion of tail rather higher than long. Colour 

 back greenish yellow, sides golden ; a large round black mark on 

 the shoulder surrounded by a light yellow ring. Dorsal and anal 

 fins yellowish orange, stained with darker at their margins. Caudal 

 yellow, with a black base and dark edges. 



Hob. Rivers in Canara and Malabar, preferring the deepest 

 pools. Longest specimen obtained 8 inches, but double that size is 

 said to be attained. "Wounds from the spines of this fish are deemed 

 venomous by the natives. 



156. (2.) Macrones aor. 



Pimelodus aor, Ham. Such. Fish. Ganges, pp. 205, 379, pi. 20, fig. 68. 

 Macrones aor, Day, Fish. India, p. 444. 



Mvkul-jellah, Tel. ; Cumboo kelletce, Tarn. ; Nga-jotmg and Nga tify, 

 Burm. ; Seengala and Sang-go-ah, Punj. j Sinyhdree, Sind. ; Alii or 

 Addi, Ooriah. 



B. xii. D. 1/7 | 0. P. 1/9-10. V. 6. A. 12-13 (3-4/9). C. 17. 



Length of head 4 to 5, of caudal fin 4, height of body 6 in the 

 total length. Eyes transversely oval, diameter 5 to 8 in the length 

 of the head, 2| to 3 diameters from the end of snout, and 1 f to 2 

 apart. Snout broad, depressed, the width of the gape being equal 

 to from two fifths to three sevenths of the length of the head, while 

 the cleft does not extend halfway to the orbit. The upper 

 jaw the longer. Width of the head three fifths of its length, 

 its upper surface rugose in tuberculated ridges. Occipital process 

 not extending halfway to the basal bone of the dorsal, while an 

 intermediate interneural shield exists, which is usually wider 

 than the occipital process. The width of this bone is subject to 

 great variation : thus in some old specimens it is only twice as long 

 as broad, whilst in others and in some immature it is four times 



