446 PHTSOSTOMI. 



Eemihagrus punctatus, Day, Broc. Zool. Soe. 1867, p. 284. 



Sliola/ng Icellete, Tarn. 



B. xi, D. i/0, P. 1/7, V. 6, A. 11-13 (|:f ), C. 17. 



Length of head 4| in the young to 5, of caudal 6i, height of body 6| in the total length. Eyes— 

 diameter 6 to 7 in the length of head, 2 diameters from end of snout, and 2i apart. Greatest width of head 

 equals its length behind the nostrils : width of the gape of mouth equals 2/6 of length of head. Upper jaw 

 slightly the longer. Interorbital space rather convex, upper surface of the head and shoulder bones furrowed, but 

 without any tuberculated ridges. Median longitudinal groove very indistinct, lanceolate, and extending almost to 

 the base of the occipital process which is narrow and has an interval equal to twice its length, betwen it and the 

 basal bone. JBarSeZs— nasal ones reach the hind edge of the orbit, the maxillary the base or middle of the 

 ventral, the external mandibular the base of the pectoral, whilst the internal are one-third shorter. Tedh^-on 

 the palate in an uninterrupted crescentic band. J'ms— dorsal spine of moderate strength, serrated posteriorly 

 in its upper third, it is 1/2 as long as the head but shorter than the first ray : adipose dorsal with a short base, 

 equalling half the distance of the interspace between it and the first dorsal fin. Pectoral spine longer and 

 -stronger than that of the dorsal, equal in length to the head excluding the snout, rugose externally, denticulated 

 internally. Ventrals arise on a vertical line just posterior to the last dorsal ray. Upper caudal lobe the longer. 

 Golours—}ie&dL and back dark grayish olive, becoming yellow on the abdomen : about ten black, rounded spots, 

 along the lateral-line : fins dusky, except the ventrals which are yellowish. 



This fish is evidently very closely allied to M. eorsula, but its head is much shorter in the adult, taking 

 for examination specimens of the same size, the upper surface of its head is almost smooth, and its snout is 

 not so flat. 



EaUtat. — Bowany river at base of Neilgherry hills, attaining at least 18 inches m length. 



7. Macrones eorsula, Plate C, fig. 5. 



Pimelodus menoda, Ham. Buch. Pish. Ganges, pp. 203, 379. 

 Fvmelodus corsida, Ham. Buch. 1. c. pi. i, f. 72. 

 Bagrus trachacantJms, Cuv. and Val. xiv, p. 419. 

 Bagrus menoda, Blyth, P. A. S. of Beng. 1858, p. 285. 

 Macrones eorsula, Day, Proc. Zool. Soc. 1869, p. 307. 

 Macrones menoda, Liitken, Vid. Medd, 1874, p. 216. 

 Punjah-guggah, Ooriah. 



B. X, D. i I 0, P. 1/9, V. 6, A. 12-13 (V), C. 17. 



Length of head 4 to 4|, of caudal 5 to 6, height of body 6 in the total length. Eyes — diameter 5f to 7 

 in the length of head, 2 diameters from the end of snout, and 2 to 2^ apart : interorbital space nearly flat. 

 The greatest width of the head equals its length excluding the snout. Upper jaw the longer. Median 

 longitudinal groove on the head extends to the base of the occipital process in the young, not so far 

 in the adult. Occipital process is very long and narrow, the width of its base being hardly equal to 1/5 of its , 

 length, but in old specimens the anterior portion of this bone becomes concealed by skin, and appears 

 to be very short, a very slight interspace exists between it and the basal bone of the dorsal fin. 

 Extent of gape of the mouth equals 3/8 of length of head. Upper surface of the head, opercles, and shoulder- 

 bone, roughened by the presence of tubercular ridges. Barbels — -the nasal ones extend to below the 

 middle of the orbit : the maxillary ones to nearly or quite the base of the anal : the external mandibular to 

 the base of the pectoral, and the internal to opposite the posterior extremity of the preopercle. Teeth — ^in an 

 uninterrupted semilunar band across the palate. Fins — dorsal spine slender, serrated posteriorly in its upper 

 half, it is half as long as the head : base of adipose dorsal difiers in length, usually as long as, or longer than, that 

 of the rayed fin. Pectoral spine strong, compressed, rugose externally, denticulated along its whole extent 

 internally, it is as long as the head excluding the snout, and slightly longer than that of the dorsal. Ventral 

 half as long as the head, and does not reach the anal : in some specimens the upper caudal lobe is prolonged. 

 Free portion of the tail rather longer than high. Colours — superiorly grayish- brown, inferiorly dull white. 

 Pins grayish, stained with black. Several vertical black spots along the anterior portion of the lateral-line. 



I have found 12 to 13 rays in the anal fin in Assam specimens, which are the same number 

 as given by Cuv. and Val. for B. trachacanthus, so I conclude the remark that, the lower caudal lobe is the 

 longer must be a misprint. Blyth observes that it is " a very mucous fish, and those brought to the bazaar are 

 commonly much clotted over with an adhesive clayey mud, as if they had burrowed into it, and they are mostly 

 brought many together, appearing as if dug out from the mud of ponds more or less dried up." 



Habitat. — Prom Orissa through Bengal and Assam ; attaining a foot or more in length. 



8. Macrones mierophtbalmus, Plate C, fig. 4. 

 Nga-ike, Burmese. 

 B. X, D. i I 0, P. 1/9, V. 6, A. 12 (|.), C. 17. 



Length of head 4, of caudal 5|, height of body 6| in the total length (excluding the filamentous 

 prolongation of the caudal fin). %es— diameter 6 in the length of head, 2 diameters frW the end of snout. 



