SILUBIDjE. 165 



seven or eight rays ; caudal forked. Air-bladder not enclosed in 

 bone, with or without a posterior prolongation. The ova are much 

 larger than in Macrones, but very much smaller than in Arius and 

 its allies. A strong cubito-humeral process protects the pectoral 

 spine when it is flexed along the side of the body. 



Geographical Distribution. Large rivers of Sind, India (except 

 its southern portions), and Burma far above Mandalay. 



Uses. Food for the lower classes. These fishes retain life long 

 after their removal from water, and can be conveyed fresh for long 

 distances. 



Synopsis of Indian Species. 



A. Some of the posterior teeth in the lower 



jaw* molariform. 



Eye 8 to 10 diameters in length of head. 

 Patches of teeth in palate wide apart. 

 Dorsal spine in the adult as long as 

 the head or longer, entire anteriorly . . 1. R. buchanani, p. 165. 



Eye 5 1 to G diameters in length cf head. 

 Patches of teeth in palate close to- 

 gether. Dorsal spine as long as head 

 excluding the snout, entire anteriorly 2. R. pavimentata, p. 167. 



Eye 4 diameters in the length of head. 

 "Patches of teeth in palate close to- 

 gether in their front halves. Dorsal 

 spine longer than the head, coarsely 

 serrated anteriorly in its whole extent 3. R. chrysca, p. 167. 



B. Teeth in lower jaw villifbrm or cardi- 



form. 



Eye 4.7 to 5 diameters in length of head. 

 Patches of teeth in palate wide apart. 

 Dorsal spine as long as the head or 

 longer, serrated anteriorly in its lower 

 third 4. R. hastata, p. 168. 



175. (1.) Eita buchanani. (Fig. 66.) 



Pimelodus rita, Ham. Buck. Fish. Ganges, pp. 165, 376 pi. xxiv, fig. 53. 



Rita buchanani, Sleeker, Batav. Gcnootsch. Vcrhand. xxv, Ich. lieny. 

 p. 123, t. 3, fig. 1 ; Day, Fish. India, p. 454, pi. ciii, fig. 1 (semi- 

 adult), fig. 2 (immature), and pi. civ, fig. 2 (young) (see synon.). 



Nya-htivay, Burmese. 



B. viii. D. 1/6 | 0. P. 1/10. V. 8. A. 12-13 (4-5/9). C. 19. 

 Length of head 4 to 4^, of caudal fin 5, height of body 5i to 6 

 in the total length. Eyes diameter 8 to 10 in the length of head, 

 .'3 diameters from the end of snout and 41 apart. The greatest 

 width of the head equal to its length behind the nostrils, whilst 

 its height is a little less. Upper surface of the head covered with 

 skin except a strip anterior to the base of the occipital process, 

 that bone, the scapular and cubito-humeral processes granulated ; 



