I860.] The Cartilarjinoics Fishes of Lower Bengal. 37 



12. En. obtusus, M. and H. Comparatively rare. I have not 

 seen it more than 1\ ft. long. 



13. Dasyatis microtjra, (Bloch); JRaia pcecilura, Shaw. Eare. 



14. HYPOiiOPnns semen, (Forsk.) : Baia saneur, B. H. (founded 

 on mutilated individuals, the caudal spine of which had been extract- 

 ed). Common. 



15. Aetobatis flagelltjm, (Bloch.). Of this fine species I 

 lately obtained a small specimen, with tail and spines complete, and 

 another and larger specimen with mutilated tail. Small dried fish of 

 this species are sometimes brought in considerable quantity. 



N. B. — The Myliobatis macropterns of McClelland (Cede. Joum. 

 Wat. Hist. I, 60, and pi. II, f. 1.) has never occurred to me. Drs. 

 Cantor and Bleeker refer it to Aetobatis narinabi. 



The Trygons or ordinary ' Sting-rays' are here deferred to the last, 

 because the species of them do not appear to have been properly dis- 

 criminated. All that I have obtained have the tail wholly finless, or 

 with merely such rudiment as in Tr. ihbricatus. 



The Indian species fall into two principal groups, which might well 

 stand as distinct genera. 



In the first the dorsal surface and tail are sprinkled over through- 

 out with detached limpet-shaped tubercles, and there is usually 

 no large globular central tubercle (or tubercles, as generally in the 

 others and also in Hypolophus sephen).* Anterior margin of the 

 disk exceedingly obtuse, the expanded pectorals being continued 

 forward almost to a transverse line with the medial peak where they 



with four short legs and a human face, may be in fact, as in description, a fabled 

 animal ; but it is talked of, and is said to dwell only about the limits of the snow." 

 What is here referred to are probably certain sand-burrowing Lizards of Af- 

 ghanistan, which in the dried state are sold as medicine all over India. One 

 is the true Egyptian Scinque, Scincus officinalis, Laurenti. Another sent by 

 the same name by Major Lumsden, late in charge of the Kandahar Mission, is the 

 Sph^nocephalus tridactylus, nobis, J. A. S. XX, G51. Both were obtained 

 in the vicinity of Kandahar. 



* Since the above was written, I have seen an example of Tk. MAKGINATTTS 

 in the museum of the Calcutta Medical College, winch has a central tubercle of 

 moderate size followed by a small one. This, I suspect, is very unusual. 



