58 Mr. C. R. Naiayau Rao on 



4^ times in the" total length without the caudal fin. The 

 greatest depth of body is considerably less than the height 

 of" the longest dorsal fin-ray. The depth of the caudal 

 peduncle is contained five times in the distance between the 

 tip of snout and the anterior root of the anal fin. The eyes 

 are large^ the diameter of which is contained 3*1 times in 

 the length of the head is more tljan half the length of 

 snout and is contained 1*5 times in the width of the inter- 

 orbital space. The upper profile of the eye is almost 

 conterminous with that of the protuberance in front of it, and 

 in old examples the tip of the protuberance is studded with 

 spiny mucous pores. The length of the protuberance is nearly 

 half the length of the snout or is 8/9 of the diameter of the 

 eye. From the anterior margin of the interorbital space, 

 there is a sudden, almost vertical drop. The internasal 

 portion forms almost a third protnberance, which is, how- 

 ever, sunk and which like the orbital processes is covered 

 anteriorly by tubercles. The snout below the nostrils is 

 again sunk and is marked off by deep grooves into four 

 tubercular areas, which arc prominent. The anterior barbels 

 are nearly twice as long as the posterior ones. The mental 

 disk is moderate, and the central pad is about 1| times 

 broader than the lower labial fold, Avhose posterior margin is 

 nearly straight and at right angle to the long axis of the 

 body. The dorsal and caudal fins are deeply indented. The 

 pectoral and ventral fins are equal in length to the distance 

 between the snout and the anterior root of the former. The 

 anal fin is 1^ times the deptli of the caudal peduncle and is 

 longer than the p.iired fins. The length of the peduncle 

 is 2/3 of the longest caudal fin-ray. The upper lobe of the 

 caudal fin is much longer than the lower, and the longest ray 

 of the upper lobe may be quite as long as the longest dorsal 

 fin-ray. The outer pectoral and pelvic fin-rajs are very 

 stout. The scales are large. 



The colour of the older forms is somewhat uniform, 

 slightly reddish !)rown above, pale yellowish below. The 

 central pad of the disk is rufous, the lower labial fold dark, 

 relieved in front by a white semicircular collar. The greater 

 portion of the paired fins is clouded dark, with brown hori- 

 zontal streaks in the middle of the caudal fin. In the 

 j^ounger forms the prevailing colour is a warm olive-green 

 above, sides and ventral part yellow. The paired fins are 

 bright orange and the mental disk reddish, the other fins 

 light with brownish streaks. A lateral orange band is 

 occasionally present. Head frequently red or reddish brown 

 or grey. 



