362 ACANTHOPTEETGII. 



Family, XXXVII- OPHIOCEPHALID^* Bleeker. 



Labyriiithici, pt. Cuv. 



Branchiostegals five: pseudobranchiae absent. Q-ills four. Body elongated, subcylindrical anteriorly : 

 head depressed, having superiorly somewhat plate-like scales. Eyes lateral. Gill-openings wide, the 

 membranes of the two sides being connected beneath the isthmus. A cavity exists above and accessory to the 

 true gill cavity, but although some thin bony lamina are present, no suprabranchial organ is developed. 

 Teeth in the jaws, vomer, and palate, some of which may be conical. A single, long, spineless dorsal fin, and 

 a similarly constructed though shorter anal. Ventrals thoracic (OpMooephalus) or absent (Gharma), when 

 present consisting of six rays, the outer of which is unbranched and sometimes articulated at its extremity. 

 Scales of large, moderate, or small size. Lateral-line abruptly curved or almost interrupted. Air-vessel 

 present. Pyloric appendages, when present, few. 



The OpMoc&phalidm having hollow cavities in-their heads, and an amphibious mode of respiration, are 

 able to exist for lengthened periods out of their native element, and can travel some distance over the ground, 

 especially When moist. Jugglers both in India and China exhibit these fishes walking on the land, and children 

 amuse themselves by making them crawl along. " In China they are often carried alive in paOs of water and 

 slices are cut foe sale as wanted : the fish selling dear whilst it retains life, while what remaias after death is 

 considered as of little value. "t 



Owing to the breadth of their bodies, they are able to progress in a serpentine manner, chiefly by means 

 of their pectoral and caudal fins, first one of the former being advanced and then its fellow. They are 

 exceedingly difficult to retain in aquaria, unless the top is covered over, as otherwise they manage to escape and 

 proceed on their travels. 



The diSerent species are somewhat dijfficult to distinguish from one another, owing to their similarity in 

 colour, the change of livery according to age and locality, and the slight variation in the number of fin rays 

 and scales. The young as a rule are of a more or less orange or scarlet colour, and light longitudinal bands 

 appear to be usually restricted to the immature. Those residing in brackish waters have a purplish tinge. 



These fishes appear to be monogamous, some breeding in grassy swamps or the edges of tanks : some in 

 wells or stone-margined receptacles for water : and others again in holes in the rivers' banks. The 0. strmtus 

 in Mysore J is said to construct a nest with its tail amongst the vegetation near the edges of the tanks, whilst 

 it bites off the ends of the weeds which grow in the water. Here the ova are deposited, the male keeping 

 guard, but should he be killed or captured, the vacant post is filled by his partner. When very young the fry 

 of all these species keep with and are defended by their parents, but as soon as they are sufi&ciently strong to 

 . capture prey for themselves, they are driven away to seek their own subsistence : those which are too obstinate 

 to leave, being, it is believed, eaten by their progenitors. 



The varieties which live in tanks and swamps delight in residing at their shallow and grassy edges, so 

 that they can take in with ease their modicum of air for the purpose of breathing, or capture any frog that may 

 incautiously venture too close to their lair. 



These fishes apear to be well adapted for pisciculture, as some grow to a large size, whilst aU are good 

 eating. The smallest, 0. gaehua, attains about a foot in length and thrives in almost any situation. They are 

 rather voracious, but appear to consider a frog, mouse, or rat as luscious .a morsel as a fellow fish. They assist 

 in keeping water pure by destroying either animal or vegetable substances which may come in their way. 



As regards the facility with which these fishes may be conveyed long distances alive, good illustrations 

 are afforded by the following occurrences. On July 19th, 1866, 1 was bringing some of the 0. gaehua from the 

 plains to the hills, and a cooly accidentally turned one out of the can of water at 5.55 p.m., when 

 the temperature of the air was 69°, it was not discovered until 8-46 p.m., when the fish was found alive and 

 well on the gravel walk outside the house. On another occasion I was conveying nine from Coonoor to Ooty 

 in an earthen vessel of water in which the temperature was 76° ; the transit occupied from 12 a.m. to 4-45 p.m. 

 during which period the water experienced a fall of 21°, but the fish were not affected thereby. I carried one 

 of these fish in a wet pocket handkerchief from Kullaar to Wellington, or an ascent of about 5000 feet, which 

 took four hours in acconiplishing, and it did not seem much the worse for its trip. 



Judging from their habits in an aquarium some of the OpUocephali prefer dirty to clean water, perhaps 

 for purpose of concealment When they have stirred up all the sediment and exuded a quantity of mucus they 

 appear to be delighted, their colours become much more vivid, and they ascend to their favourite resort, lying 



* Bloch thns named the genus ovring to their heads having a resemblance to those of serpents. Cuvier remarked that if it 

 were possible to admit that anomalous bemgs existed in nature, there would be none that might more justly be considered such than 

 these fishes. s j / 



t Hamilton Buchanan, Wishes o/ Qanges, p. 59. j Colonel Puckle. 



