Toxotes microlepis, Gthr.^and T. niicrolepis, i?Z_y<^. 143 



XXI. — Note on Toxotes microlcj)is, Gtk)'., and Toxotes 

 inicrolci)is, HJijth. l^y {}. A. BoULENGEli. 



TilK important collection of reptiles and fislies recently made 

 at Toungoo by Mr. E. W. Oates and presented by him to 

 the British Museum, among which I found tlic new frog 

 described above, contained several examples of a Toxotes 

 which has a))j)eared on all lists of I5urmese fishes as Toxotes 

 microle))is ; JJay * attributing the species to Blyth, Vinci- 

 guerrat to CJiinther. The fact is that two fishes were 

 described inde])endently and almost simultaneously by 

 Giinther I from 8iam and by Blyth § from Burma under the 

 name of T. microlepis. Day assumed the two species to be 

 identical, in which view he was followed by Bleeker [j and by 

 Vinciguerra. Having compared the Burmese specimens with 

 the {Siamese types of T. microlepis^ Gthr., 1 find them to be 

 easily distinguishable both as regards structure and colora- 

 tion. As Giinther's name was published before Blyth's I 

 propose to change the name of the Burmese species to T. 

 Blyihii. The diagnoses I have drawn uj) show the distinc- 

 tive characters of the two species. 



1. Toxotes microlepis^ Gthr. 



Depth of body one lialf total length (without caudal) ; 

 fourth dorsal spine considerably longer than third ; third anal 

 spine but slightly longer than second dorsal, and shorter than 

 the soft rays. Four black blotches or vertical bars on the 

 upper part of the side. 



2. Toxotes Blyihii. 



Toxotes microlepis, Blyth. 



Depth of body not half total length (without caudal) ; 

 fourth dorsal spine not or but slightly longer than third ; 

 third anal sj)ine as long as third dorsal and nearly as long as 

 the soft rays. Irregular black longitudinal blotches or stripes 

 running along the body ; a small black spot below the axilla. 



* ' Fishes of ludia,' p. 117 (1875). 



t Anu. Mus. Genova, (2) ix. 1890, p. 165. 



t Cat. Fishes, ii. p. QS (1860). 



§ Journ. As. Soc. Beug. xxix. 1860, p. 142 (1861). 



Ii Atl. Ichthvol. ix. p. 2. 



