SILURID^. 865 







Inches. 



Posterior margin of anal to caudal 2-38 



Depth of base of caudal 2-25 



Depth through anterior margin of ventral 5-75 



Dorsal fin from snout over curve of back 11-50 



Basal length of dorsal 3.75 



Distance between tips of caudals 10-50 



„ „ pectorals over back 11-37 



Posterior dorsal from anterior dorsal 5-13 



Basal length of posterior dorsal 3-X3 



The air-bladder is of considerable size and is pear-shaped, with a narrow and 

 short pedicle, against which the kidneys are opposed. On laying it open, it is found 

 to be nearly divided in two longitudinally by a septum, which anteriorly expands 

 into two pillars with a posteriorly directed concayity between them, and in which 

 the ak passage is found to open, the tube appearing on the pharynx after an interval 

 of 4" 25 inches. The tube is of considerable capacity, and freely admits a probe, 

 its pharyngeal orifice being rather wide and patulous. The inner surface of the 

 air-bladder is Kned with a delicate, almost gelatinous membrane, which is easily 

 separated from its glistening surface. The length and breadth of the air-bladder are 

 about 6 inches. 



The intestine, in the first 15 inches of its extent, is thrown into fine wavy per- 

 sistent ruga3, which are neither so numerous nor so strongly marked after the first 

 seven inches of the intestine are passed. In the remaiader of its course, the iatestine 

 is quite smooth, and at 33 inches from the pylorus the commencement of a large 

 intestine is indicated by the presence of a well defixted valvular constriction, beyond 

 which the extent of the fijst is 21 inches, so that the length of the intestine is twice 

 the length of the body of the fish. The generative tubes open in a common cavity 

 immediately above the termination of the urinary aperture at the base of its papilla. 

 They are of considerable capacity, and easily admit the passage of a probe one-tenth 

 of an inch in diameter. The gall bladder is oval and of moderate size. 



The external waU of the intestine was covered vrith round nodules, each of which 

 contained a Kttle filiform cystic worm. 



In that long reach of the Irawady in which the pagoda of Thingadaw occiu-s, 

 this fish is considered very sacred and is under royal protection, a mandate of 

 the sovereign existing which makes the death of one of these fish by hook or by net 

 a very serious ofi:ence, and fishing for 3 miles above and below the Httle island of 

 Thingadaw is prohibited. The fish are daily fed by the priests who reside on the 

 smaU rocky islet and also by passing devotees. 



The most interesting featm-e, however, connected with this fish is the pecu- 

 liar habit it has of responding at great distances to the caU of tit-tit when oft 

 repeated. After many calls of tit-tit, I observed the fishes, at some considerable 

 distance off, rise to the surface, apparently answering to the caU by making straight 

 for the banks of the island, where they soon showed themselves. Many were of great 

 size, measuring, in all likelihood, nearly 5 feet in length. They were so tame that they 

 raised their heads above water to be fed, and even permitted me to introduce my hand 



N 5 



