570 STJEGEOK-MAJOll DAT ON SOME OP 



head excluding the snout ; pectoral spine stronger, as long as the 

 head behind the angle of the mouth, and reaching to above the ven- 

 tral ; ventral arises behind the vertical from the posterior dorsal 

 rays, and reaches the anal ; caudal lobed, the lower lobe somewhat 

 the longer. Air-vessel transverse, not enclosed in bone. Colours — 

 bluish superiorly, becoming white beneath, the fins stained externally 

 with grey. Two specimens up to 65 inches in length. 



I have one from Kurnool nearly 9 inches long. 



Sykes states that this fish is termed Purree (Mahr.) and Silhm 

 in the Deecan, that it is ivithoiit cirri, and also that the first bony 

 ray is " serrated on the anterior edge," such being also shown in 

 the figure. This last observation leads me to believe that he de- 

 scribed from the drawing, which seems to have maxillary barbels 

 indistinctly marked. 



The long maxillary barbels of this species at once serve to dis- 

 tinguish it from the S. gangetica *, C. V. 



I am unable to admit that the existence of mandibular barbels 

 in this species is a valid reason for instituting anew genus for its 

 reception : — Silundia Sykesii has long maxillary and also mandi- 

 bular barbels ; 8. gangetica, maxillary but no mandibular barbels. 

 If these SihitidicE are considered generically distinct, so must the Se- 

 mipimelodus itcliheea, Sykes, from the genus in which I have placed 

 it, as it possesses eight instead of six barbels. Likewise another 

 Deecan fish, Nemaclieilus Evezardi, Day, which has eight instead 

 of the normal six barbels, would require a genus to itself. This 

 opens too wide a question to enter upon in this place ; but if the 

 foregoing views are correct, it follows that the genvi^ Lepidocepha- 

 liclithys, Bleeker (divided from Cohitis on account of its having eight 

 instead of six barbels), must be suppressed. In Barhus it is gene- 

 rally admitted that those with four, two, or without barbels, belong 

 to one genus. I have also found two species oiBohtee with barbels, 

 a genus considered to be without any. 



* 15 a. Silundia gangetica, n. s. 



B. xii., D. J./0, P. ^, V. 6, A. 3%, C. 19. 



Length of head 5^, of caudal 6 ; height of body 5^ in the total length. 

 Eyes — diameter A^ in length of head, H diameter from end of snout, and 2 

 apart. Width of head equals its length, excluding the snout, whilst its height 

 is rather less. A pair of maxillary barbels about as long as the eye, no mandi- 

 bular ones. Fins — dorsal spine as long as the head, excluding the snout, almost 

 smooth anteriorly, serrated posteriorly. This species so closely resembles the 

 other two, that a further description appears unnecessary. 



Habitat. The rivers of Bengal and Burma. It attains a large size. 



