PRELIMINARY LIST OF FISHES OF TIRHOOT, BENGAL. 429 



possible the habits of the inmates, he may keep from time to time, noting 

 down carefully anything and everything that he sees. Nor must the in- 

 formation gleaned from native sources be regarded lightly. Many natives are 

 keen observers, and do not always wilfully mislead with an idea to please, 

 and it does not do to scoff at what might at first hearing appear to be a " fairy 

 tale." The true naturalist will always make notes of what he obtains by 

 hearsay, endeavouring as far as possible to ascertain the truth for himself. 

 For, however improbable a story might at first seem, it should be borne 

 in mind that " there are more things in heaven or earth than are even 

 dreamt of in man's philosophy." For instance, most of us in India know 

 for a fact that, after a shower of rain many hitherto dry ditches and 

 hollows are alive with small fish. Where do these come from ? Are they 

 carried in a vertex by the rain and deposited there ? Highly improbable. 

 Or have the fishes until now been hibernating in the mud ? More than 

 probable (see note under OpMocephalus). 



For the naming of most of the fishes listed here, I am indebted to 

 Mr. Boulenger of the British Museum to whom my best thanks are due for 

 much kindly help and information that he has always ungrudgingly at all 

 times given to me. The nomenclature and numbers here employed are 

 those of "Fishes " in the Fauna of British India Series. 



The list contains two rare fishes and one, herring, hitherto only recorded 

 from the coast. 



Siluridas. 



The Siluridce or " cat fishes" are largely represented in India and fresh 

 waters of other temperate and tropical regions, a few being found in salt 

 waters. They all have carnivorous tendencies, some species being said to 

 feed on carrion. In general appearance they are unattractive, a few 

 having a most forbidding appearance. Their bodies have no scales, but in 

 many genera there are long scutes. 



Sometimes a stout long spine is present in front of the dorsal and 

 pectoral fins, which are said to be poisonous. One to six pairs of barbels 

 embrace the mouth very long and string-like in many species. It is from 

 these barbels the group derive their popular name. These appendages 

 having a fanciful resemblance to cat's " whiskers." Some siluroids have 

 an accessory breathing organ which enable them to live out of water for a 

 long time. 



135. Eutropiichthys vacha. 



Day gives the range of this fish from the Punjab and all large rivers of 

 Sind, Bengal and Orissa. It is largely eaten by the natives of Behar. 



143. Ailia coila. 



Throughout the Bengal plains in large rivers and Assam. Greatly 

 esteemed as a food fish. 



