SILURID.E. 199 



of the head. The greatest width of the head equals its length 

 excluding the snout. Upper jaw the longer; the width of the 

 mouth equals one third of the length of the head. Barbels eight, 

 the maxillary reach to below the hind edge of the eyes, the nasal 

 halfway to the orbibs, the mandibular pairs are short. Teeth 

 villiform in the jaws. Fins dorsal spine smooth, as long as the 

 head excluding the snout; length of the base of the adipose 

 fin equal to one third of the interspace between the two fins. 

 Pectoral reaching two thirds of the distance to the ventral, the 

 spine strong, as long as the head excluding the snout, and with 

 about twenty strong teeth internally. Ventral reaching the anal. 

 Caudal deeply lobed, lobes of equal length. Adhesive apparatus 

 well-marked. Skin roughened with small spiny tuberosities 

 arranged in longitudinal rows all over the body. Free portion of 

 the tail twice as long as high at its base. Colour brownish, 

 intermixed with yellow, and blotched with blackish. Pins yellow 

 with black marks and spots. 



This fish very closely resembles G. telcliitta, but has a more 

 roughened skin, whilst the profile of the eye is transversely oval. 

 Hamilton Buchanan (MSS.) observes of this species in the Eangpur 

 district, " the Eliot Mayur of the Dharka if possible is still uglier 

 (than the Eretliistes conta). The people of Bhutan are said to be 

 remarkably fond of it, from whence its name is derived. The people 

 of Behar will not eat it." 



Hob. It is common at Delhi. Hamilton Buchanan observed 

 that it was from the northern rivers of Bengal, and attained 

 6 inches in length. 



212. (5.) Glyptosternum telchitta. 



Pimelodus telchitta, Ham. Such. Fish. Ganges, pp. 185, 378. 



Glyptosternum telchitta, Day, Fish. India, p. 498, pi. cxvi, fig. 2 



(see synon,). 

 Gooacherah, Beng. ; TeUiah, Hind. (N. W. P.). 



B. vi. D. 1/6 | 0. P. 1/8. V. 6. A. 11 (2/9). C. 17. 

 Length of head 5-| to 5|, of caudal fin 5|, height of body 7| to 8 in 

 the total length. Eyes small, with a circular pupil situated in the 

 middle of the length or in the commencement 'of the posterior half 

 of the head ; interorbital space flat, its width 3| to 4 in the length of 

 the head. The greatest width of the head equals three fourths of 

 its length. Upper jaw the longer, the width of the gape of the 

 mouth equals one third of the length of the head ; lips not fringed. 

 Opercle ends posteriorly in an elongated pointed termination ; 

 occipital process three times as long as wide at its base. Barbels 

 the nasal very short, the maxillary reach to rather behind the 

 posterior edge of the orbit : the outer mandibular pair reach the 

 gill-opening, the internal are shorter. Teeth generic. Fins 

 dorsal nearly as high as the body, the spine, which is four sevenths 

 as long as the head, has a soft continuation, is slightly enveloped 

 in skin and entire ; adipose dorsal of moderate height, the extent 



