332 On the Systematic Position of Cliaudhuria. 



females. Tlie ovaries are very large and occupy a great 

 part of the body-cavity. They contain eggs in many different 

 • stages of development mingled together. The eggs have 

 already been described and figured by Aiinandale\(«/?. cit.). 

 We found a single male, in which the testes were compara- 

 tively small, the one on the right side being a little longer 

 than the other. They formed a pair of flat band-sliaped 

 bodies joined together along the middle line and having a 

 short stout duct which opened beside the anus into a cloaca. 



The facts stated above show clearly enough in our opinion 

 that Mr. Regan (^op. cit. 1919) was right in postulating 

 a relationship between Chaudhuria and Mastacembelus. 

 The special points of resemblance are : — 



(i.) The general form and facies of the whole animal 



and of the skull, 

 (ii.) The structure of the unpaired fins and to some 

 extent of the pectoral girdle, 

 (iii.) The absence o£ any trace of pelvic girdle and fin. 

 (iv.) The structure of the jaws and the anterior part of 



the skull. 

 (v.) The supraoccipital separating the parietals. 

 (vi.) The presence of the same elements in the otic 

 capsules, 

 and other minor points. 



Points iv. and v. clearly indicate that the genus cannot be 

 retained in the Apodes. 



There are, however, several important differences between 

 Chaudhuria and Mastacembelus^ not only in external 

 characters, but also in the structure of the skull, the upper 

 part of the shoulder-girdle, and the alimentary canal. Those 

 in the primary pectoral girdle are probably of less im- 

 portance, although this part of the skeleton does not 

 altogether conform to Mr. Regan^s definition of Opisthomi 

 (o/). cit. 1912). The main points in which his definition of 

 the order will have to be amended, if Chaudhuria is to be 

 included, are the following : — 



(i.) The absence of scales. 



(ii.) The absence of a fleshy tentacle on the snout, 

 (iii.) The absence of spines from the fins, 

 (iv.) The presence of a basisphenoid. 

 (v.) The smaller number of vertebrae, 

 (vi.) The complete fusion of the supracleithrum and the 



clcithrum. 

 (vii.) The degenerate character of the primary shouLlcr- 

 ffirdle. 



