8ILUBDXE. 1 195 



It attains 6 feet or more in length, and is often termed a " fresh- 

 water shark," parti)' on account of its voracity, and partly because 

 of its underhung mouth and general ugliness. 



This fish takes a live-bait, but is difficult to kill ; it is sluggish, 

 goes to the bottom, and it generally escapes by destroying the 

 tackle. Mr. Van Cortland, at the end of 1875, angling at the Okla 

 weir, a few miles below Delhi, killed one which was 5 feet long 

 and weighed 136 Ibs. 



28. Genus GLYPTOSTERNUM, McClelland. 

 Syn. Glyptothorax, Blyth. 



Branchiostegals from six to about ten. Gill-openings rather 

 wide; gill-membranes confluent with the skin of the isthmus, but 

 with thefr posterior margin remaining free. Head rather depressed 

 and covered with soft skin. Eyes small, subcutaneous. Mouth 

 inferior, transverse, with the upper jaw the longer. Nostrils close 

 together, separated by a barbel. Barbels eight one nasal, one 

 maxillary, and two maudibular pairs, the maxillary with broad 

 bases. Villiform teeth in the jaws ; palate edentulous. Dorsal fin 

 with a spine and six or seven rays ; an adipose fin present. Pectoral 

 horizontal, with a strong spine, some of its rays being occasionallv 

 plaited inferiorly. An adhesive apparatus, composed of longitu- 

 dinal plaits, exists between the bases of the two pectoral fins on 

 the chest. Ventral with six rays, situated posterior to the dorsal. 

 Anal with a moderate (9-12) number of rays. Caudal forked. 

 Air-bladder in two lateral portions more or less enclosed in 

 bone. 



Geographical Distribution. These fishes are found along the 

 Himalayas and the rivers at their bases from Afghanistan to the 

 extreme east of Assam, also in the Malay Archipelago. They are 

 also present in some rivers in the plains of India, but usually not 

 far removed from hills. They appear especially adapted for strong 

 streams and those of hilly districts. 



It is open to question whether some of the following might not 

 more properly be termed varieties than species. Roughness of the 

 external edge of the pectoral spine may exist in species in which 

 the spine is normally smooth. 



Synopsis of Indian Species. 



A. 11-13. Length of head 5 to 5} in the 



total. Maxillary barbels reach pec- 

 toral fin. Pectoral spine rough or 



smooth externally. Dorsal spine 



smooth. Brown, with black marks. 1. G. lonah, p. 196. 

 A. 13. Length of head in the total. 



Maxillary barbels reach the pectoral 



fin. Ciiestnut-browu, with two 



light longitudinal bands 2. (Jr. trilineattim, p. 197. 



02 



