tNcrAN FBESHWATEE FISHES. 151 



5. O.MICROPELTES^, CuV. Sf Vul. 



Canara aud Malabar, also Siam to the Malay archipelago. 



This fish is very peculiar in its colour ; having obtained one 

 at Cochin of a bright scarlet with two black bands along the body, 

 in 1863, I naturally concluded it could not be the immature of 

 O. micropeltes, described in the ' Catalogue of Fishes of the British 

 Museum ' as " brown with lighter longitudinal stripes." Eeturn- 

 ing to that coast ten years subsequently, I discovered the O. mi- 

 cropeltes at Trichoor, about 40 miles north of Cochin ; aud a few 

 months subsequently I was enabled to collect in Canara adult 

 and young. At Berlin, and subsequently at Dr. Bleeker's, I have 

 convinced myself of their identity. But it is very peculiar that 

 this fish has such a local distribution in India, reappearing in Siam. 



6. O. STRIATUS^ Block. 



Fresh waters of the plains iu the Indian and Ceylon region, Burma, to 

 the Malay archipelago and beyond. 



7. O. STEWARTii, Playfuir. 

 Cachar and Assam. 



8. O. GACHUA^, Ham. Buck. 



Fresh waters of the plains, and also some of the hilly ranges of Belu- 

 chistan, Afghanistan, the Indian and Ceylon region, Burma, and the 

 fresh waters of the Andamans. 



9. 0. PUNCTATUS'*, Block. 



Fresh waters of the plains in the Indian and Ceylon region, Burma. 



The 9 foregoing species show the following distribution : — 2 

 throughout India to the Malay archipelago or China ; 1 the 

 Indian region, including Ceylon, Burma, and the Andamans j 1 

 the Indian region, including Ceylon and Burma ; 1 Deccan, 

 Western and Coromandel coast and China ; 1 perhaps Mysore ; 

 1 large rivers of Bengal, N.W. Provinces, and Assam ; 1 Malabar 

 coast, then absent until Siam, whence it extends to the Malay 

 archipelago; 1 Cachar and Assam. 



The distribution of the Ophiocephali deserves particular atten- 

 tion, one species, identical with O. gachua of India, being found 

 in the Andamans. Eeasons will be subsequently adduced favour- 



^ Includes 0. serpentinus, C. & V., and 0. diplogramme, Day (young). 



^ Includes 0. wrahl, Lacep., and 0. chena, Ham. Buch. 



' Includes: — 0. ^orrt wzoite, Russell ; 0.auratitiacus,'H.Bkra.'B\ic\x.; O.fuscus, 

 marginatum, and limbatus, Ouv. & Val. ; 0. montanus, M'Olelland ; 0. Kelaartii, 

 Griinther. 



* Includes: — 0. i"«)Toe«m, Lacep. ; 0. foi^Ms, Ham. Buch. ; 0. inifzcMs, M'Clel- 

 land ; 0. affinis, Giinlher. Fresh waters of the plains of the Indian region and 

 Ceylon. 



