4i8 



Memoirs of the Indian Museum. 



[Vol. V, 



1848. Chatoessus nasus, Cuv. and Valenciennes, Hist. Nat. Poiss., XXI, p. 164. 



1878. Chatoessus nasus, Day, Fish. Ind., p. 634, pi. clx, fig. 4. 



1889. Chatoessus nasus, Day, Faun. Brit. Ind., Fish., I, p. 387, fig. 120. 



Russel made out two species in this mud-eating fish in which the last ray of the 

 dorsal fin is greatly elongated. In so doing he simply followed the Telegu fishermen 

 who distinguished two different kinds of fish among them by two different names, viz. 

 Kome and Pedda Kome (Pedda =big). Russel has two figures, plate 196 representing 

 Kome and plate 197 representing Pedda Kome, but neither of these figures show the 

 conspicuous bluish black blotch behind the opercles characteristic of the species (at 

 least in the adult stage) . There are sixteen specimens in the Chilka collection, of these 

 seven possess the blotch about three scales deep behind the opercle, measuring in larger 

 specimens 15 mm. x6 mm. In full-grown specimens the elongated ray almost reaches 

 the root of the caudal fin, falling short by the breadth of two scales. Among the 

 smaller specimens none have any blotch behind the opercle, and the elongated ray is 

 proportionately shorter. Probably the want of the coloured blotch and the compara- 

 tive shortness of the elongated ray in the young led the coast fishermen to use two 

 different names for the same fish. Russel noticed a difference in the distance between 

 the nostrils in his two species, but no such difference is noticed in any of the specimens 

 of this collection. The Chilka fishermen have only one name, Bolangi (both for 

 the fish with a blotch and for the fish without it. The lengths of the specimens in the 

 collection, together with the lengths of the respective elongated ray, and the presence 

 or absence of the coloured blotch are stated below. 



Locality and date. 



Number of 

 specimens. 



Total length 

 in mm. 



Length of the 



elongated ray 



in mm. 



Presence or absence of 



a bluish black 



blotch. 



Barkul, 











Sept. 14 



1 



171 



66 



Present. Three scales be- 









hind the opercle, 15 x 6. 



Parikud, 











28-xi-i4 



1 



169 



61 



Present. 



Patsahanipur, 











3-Ü-14 



2 



125 



Damaged. 



Present. 



Off north side of Samal Island, 











24-Ü-14 



i 



102 



41 



Five scales behind oper- 

 cle, 7x3 mm. 



Barkul, 











4-1-15 



2 



96 



36 



Present. 



Off Nalbano, 











i8-ix-i4 



1 



63 



18 



Absent. 



Barkul, 











4-1-15 



1 



53 



9 



Do. 



Satpara, 











March 14 



1 



52 



8 



Do. 



Rambha Bay, 











22-VÜ-14 



1 



45 



9 



Do. 



Do. 



1 



41 



5 



Do. 



Do. 



2 



43 



5 



Do. 



Do. 



2 



42 



4 



Do. 



