OALAXID.Tv. 405 



Family VII. GALAXID^. 



Body more or less elongate; abdomen rounded. Pseudo- 

 branch i.-c absent. Edge of upper jaw mainly formed by the pre- 

 maxillaries. Dorsal fin opposite to the anal, no adipose fin. Air- 

 bladder large and simple. Pyloric appendages few. The ova pass 

 into the abdominal cavity before exclusion. 



1. Genus GALAXIAS, Cuvier. 

 Syn. 'Mcsitcs, Jenyns. 



Definition as in family. Conical teeth in both jaws, vomer and 

 palatine bones, and large teeth on the tongue. 



Geographical Distribution. Southern portion of South America, 

 Australia, New Zealand, where it has been observed to be 

 restricted to fresh waters ; this Indian form was from the coast. 



518. (1.) Galaxias indicus. (Fig. 128.) 

 Galaxias indicus, Day, Fish. India, Suppl 1888, p. 806. 



B. ix. D. 13. P. 10. V. 8. A. 18. C. 15. 

 Length of head 8|, height of body 11 in the total length. 

 Eyes 3| diameters in length of head and 1^ from end of snout. 

 Body elongated and flattened, with a rounded abdomen. Fins 

 ventral well developed and arising midway between the hind edge 

 of the eye and the posterior extremity of the base of the anal fin. 



Fig. 128. Galaxias indicus. 



Dorsal fin commences opposite the origin of the anal, and in about 

 the commencement of the last third of the total length, it is highest 

 in front. Caudal forked. 



Hob. Coasts of Bengal and Madras, probably entering estuaries ; 

 attaining about 2 inches in length. 



Among the drawings of the late Sir Walter Elliot is one of a 

 small fish, a little over 1 inch in length, and a magnified copy 

 nearly four times that size. The fish was taken at Waltair, 

 April 8th, 1853. Its form is deeper than the foregoing, and it 



