130 ACANTHOPTERTGII. 



occupying ratter above three-fourtlis of the length of the fin and are receivable into a groove, interspinous 

 membrane deeply emarginate, soft portion of the fin similar to that of the anal and almost square : anal spmes 

 of moderate strength the central one the longest and equal to two-thirds the length of the rays : caudal cut 

 nearly square. ScaZes-rather smaller on the nape than on the body, some extend over the bases of the dorsal 

 and anal rays, an enlarged one at the angle of the ventral fin and another between the two ventrals Lateral. 

 Zme-interrupted at aboutthe 36th scale. OoZows-greenish-brown with brassy reflections, vertically marbled 

 with three broad patchy bands, and a fourth crosses the free portion of the tail, or occasionally there exists a 

 black blotch theref some narrow dark bands radiate from the eye. Narrow bands of spots across the soft 

 portions of the dorsal, anal, and the caudal fins. ,,„.-,, j? j.t i j 



In Assam and to the east of Bengal, as already observed (p. 129), the bones of the >ead are more 

 stronely serrated than is usually seen in the other parts of India. ^ „ -r -,. •, . i. ht i, 7 n 



Sleeker has discriminated between the Nandus marmoratus 0. V. of India, and the N. nelulosus, Gray 

 and Hardw. which inhabits the islands of the Sound. Of this latter he observes amongst other peculiarities that 

 its scales are |f:|l, being much fewer in number than in N. ma/rmoratus. In examining 10 specimens ot this 



latter I find as follows : t . ^i ^n» nn 



. rive from Madras and Malabar L. r. |^, |f , |f , M, -ff , L. tr. 6|-6/17-20. 

 Five „ Assam . . . . L. r. |f , If, U, H, U, L. tr. 6f 6/18-19 . , ^, -r. -^ 

 Eahitat—'Fresh and brackish waters of India and Burma, attaining at least 7 inches m lengtJi. it is 

 common in ditches and inundated fields where it preys on smaU Cyprinidce. It is exceedingly tenacious ot hfe. 



Genus, 4 — Peistolepis, Jerdon (1848). 



Catopra, Bleeker (1851) : Parcmamdus, Day. 



BrancUostegals six : pseudohromoUoe. absent. Eyes laterah Mouth moderately protractile. Opercle with two 

 flat (generally Ufid) spines : preoperole and preorhital mostly serrated. Teeth mlliform on the jwws amd palate, mlliform 

 or glolular on the vomer, oUuseVy globular on the base of the tongue, on the roof of the cavity of the mouth (pre- 

 sphenoid), and sometimes on the vomer. Anal fm with three or four spines. Scales ctenoid, large, extended on to tJie 

 interhranchial membrane. Lateral-line interrupted. Pyloric appendages two. 



Geographical distribution.— Vresh, waters of the plains and hUls of -India, Burma, Siam and the Malay 

 Archipelago : those with villiform teeth iu the adult on the vomer would appear to belong to India proper : 

 those with globular teeth on that bone to Burma and the Eastwards. 



SYNOPSIS OF SPECIES. 



/ A. With villiform teeth on vomer (Paranandus). 



1. Pristolepis marginatus, D. W'.\^, A. |, preorbital, preopercle, sub- and iuter-opercles serrated. Wynaad. 



2. Pristolepis Malabaricus, D. t^ttj -^- I- Malabar ghauts descending to the plains. 



B. With globular teeth on vomer (Catopra). 



3. Pristolepis namdioides, D. \^'-\i, A. |. Burma and to the East as far as the Malay Archipelago. 



A. With villiform teeth on the vomer (Paranandus) . 



1. Pristolepis marginatus. 



Jerdon, Madras Journal, Lit. and Sc. 1848, p. 141, and Ann. and Mag. Nat. Hist. 1865, xvi, p. 298 ; 

 Day, Fishes of Malabar, p. 131. 



Gatopra tetracarvthus, Giinther, Proc. Zool. Soc. 1862, p. 192, pi. xxvi, fig. B. 



B. vi, D. ^i'M, P. 14, V. 1/5, A. f , L. r. ff , L. tr. 31/11. 



Length of head SJ to 3f , of caudal 1/5, height of body, 3| in the total length, i/j/es— diameter 3| to 3f 

 of length of head, 1 diameter from end of snout, and 2/3 of a diameter apart. Length of head rather exceeds , 

 its height. Lower jaw very slightly the longer : premaxillaries reach to opposite the anterior margin of the 

 orbit : the maxilla to below the front edge of the eye. Preopercle serrated at its angle and also for a short 

 distance along its vertical border : sub- and inter-opercles likewise with some serrations at their approximating 

 angles : opercle with two flat spines, the lower of which may be bifid : preorbital sometimes rather strongly 

 serrated. Teeth — villiform in the jaws, with an outer rather widely placed row of curved ones : villiform teeth 

 on the vomer and palatines, and granular at the root of the tongue and on the roof of the cavity of the 

 mouth (pre-sphenoid). Fins — dorsal spines rather strong, increasing in length to the fifth: three last anal 

 spines of about the same length : caudal rounded. Scales — two entire and two half rows between the lateral- 

 line and the base of the dorsal fin : 13 rows between the base of the ventral and that of the dbrsal fin. Lateral- 

 line —interrupted opposite the last third of the soft dorsal on the twenty-first scale. Colours — as in the next- 

 species. 



Habitat.— This form, originally described by Jerdon, was obtained from the " river of Manontoddy^ 

 flowing into the Cauvery : in the Cotiaddy river in North Malabar, and in the stream that runs near Canote 

 in the same district." I have obtained one in Malabar 3| inches in length, with the P. Malabaricus. 1 



