18/3.] bURGEON F. DA\ ON NEW INDIAN FISHES. 709 



the lower the longer Lateral line descends gently for nine scales. 

 Colours silvery, with a lateral band ; dorsal, anal, aud caudal tipped 

 with black. 



Hab. South Canara, attaining 5 inches in length. 



This species differs from C. aryentea in having fewer scales, a 

 larger eye, and a mouth less deeply cleft. 



Whilst in Bombay I obtained a fine specimen of the following 

 apparently new species of Hemiramphus : — 



Hemiramphus cirrhatus, sp. nov. 



D. 14 Q. A. 12Q). L.1.42. L. tr. f 



Length of head 'i, of beak (beyond the upper jaw) nearly \, of 

 height of body -^ of the total length. Eyes equal § of the length 

 of the postorbital part of the head, and 1| diameter apart. Upper 

 surface cf intermaxillary scaled ; it is ^ broader at its base than it is 

 long. Preorbital rather higher than long ; beak wide ; all the fringes 

 moderately developed and of a black colour. Barbels, one at either 

 posterior nostril, \ as long as the orbit. Fins : pectoral pointed, 

 rather longer than the head without the snout ; the ventral com- 

 mences in the posterior -| of the distance between the anterior end of 

 the snout and the base of the caudal, which last is rounded or very 

 slightly emarginate ; anal with a very short base, commencing 

 slightly behind the origin of the dorsal, but its length is not 3 of 

 that of the base of the latter fin ; anal much highest anteriorly. 

 Scales over the upper surface of the head, suborbitals, and opercles, 

 none on the vertical fins. Colours silvery a very narrow median 

 silvery line exists, but under the dorsal becomes g as wide as a scale. 

 Upper half of dorsal black. 



Hab. Bombay. 



Before completing this paper I propose offering a few remarks 

 upon two animals inimical to fish, viz. the Crocodilus palustris and 

 the Lutra nair. 



The common Marsh-Crocodile, or C. palustris, Less., is stated to 

 be less migratory than the C. porosus, Schn. ; but in Canara it ap- 

 peared to be as common in the vicinity of the sea as I have perceived 

 it to be in the upper portions of the Ganges, Jumna, and Indus. 

 In South Canara it is asserted to attain to 16, in Northern India 12, 

 whilst in Ceylon 13 feet in length is its full size. The largest we 

 obtained was scarcely 9 feet in length. Whilst netting a piece of 

 water near the sea, one of these reptiles came to the surface with a 

 large fish crosswise in its jaws ; this it distinctly bit across and then 

 swallowed. 



These crocodiles are reputed by the natives to eat their own 

 young should they uot disperse to find other feeding-grounds when 

 old enough to capture food for themselves. All we could obtain, 

 except the very young ones, we opened for the purpose of ascertain- 

 ing what description of food had been taken. All had stones inside 



