462 PHYSOSTOMI. 



denticulated internally, its outer ray often prolonged. Ventral nearly reaches the anal. Upper caudal lobe the 

 longer. CoZomto— greenish-brown, becoming lighter on the abdomen, some specimens have narrow Tertical 

 bands of spots on the body. Fins tinged with dark. 



Bagrus doroides has a few ossified plates along the first portion of its lateral-line. 



Hahitat. — From Bombay through the seas and estuaries of India to the Malay. Archipelago. It is said to 

 be very common at Batavia, where it is largely consumed. The specimen figured is 9 inches in length and from 

 Calcutta : it attains at least 3 feet. 



10. Arius sona, Plate CV, fig. 2. 



Pimelodus sona, Ham. Buch. Fish. Ganges, 172, 376. 

 Bagrus gagoroides, and trachipomus, Cuv. and Yal. xiv, pp. 441, 443. 

 Arius trachipomus, Bleeker, Beng. en Hind. p. 58. 



Arius gagoroides, Bleeker, Beng. en Hind. p. 66; Blyth, P. A. S. of Beng. 1858, p. 285 ; Giinther, Catal. 

 V, p. 140. 



Netuma netuma. Day, Fish. Malabar, p. 175 (not Cuv. and Val.) 

 Arius sona. Day, P. Z. S. 1871, p. 708. 



B. vi, D. i/O, P. 1/12, V. 6, A. 17 (^r), C. 17. 



Length of head 4, of caudal 5 to 6, height of body 6 in the total length, i/j/es— diameters 7 to 9 in the 

 length of head, 2i to 3 diameters from the end of snout, and 3J to 4| apart. Head one-half broader than high, 

 and almost as wide as long. Upper jaw the longer : the extent of the gape of the mouth equals two-thirds of 

 the length of the head. Median longitudinal groove on the head wide but does not extend so far as the base of 

 the occipital process, the latter being keeled, convex at its posterior extremity where it reaches the basal bone 

 of the dorsal fin which is somewhat narrow, especially in its centre, whilst either side is slightly bent into an 

 S-shaped form. The occipital process is as wide or rather wider at its base than it is long, it, and also the 

 crown of the head from behind the eyes, are granulated, these granulations have somewhat of a radiating direction. 

 Barbels — the maxillary reach to the end of the head, the outer mandibular ones are shorter. Teeth — on palate 

 villiform, those on the palatines on a large somewhat triangular patch which is emarginate posteriorly, 

 anteriorly two small patches on the vomer connect the two palatine ones together. Fins — dorsal spine strong, 

 granulated anteriorly, serrated posteriorly, and as long as the head excluding the snout, but not so high as the 

 rays which are higher than the body : length of the base of the adipose dorsal equals that of the rayed fin. 

 Pectoral spine stronger and usually slightly shorter than that of the dorsal, rough externally, sometimes even 

 with a few serrations near its tip, serrated internally. Ventrals not reaching the anal. Caudal forked. 

 Colours — brownish above, bluish on the sides where it is glossed with gold, and of a dull white beneath. Fins 

 with a bluish-black tinge. Young specimens are of a brownish colour, superiorly glossed with purplish and 

 yellow, the fins are nearly black. 



Bleeker, Atl. Ich. Silur. p. 36, considers Arius gagoroides=Fimelodus arius, H. 'B.^Arius arius, 0. V. 

 and Pseudarius arius, Bleeker, whereas I have considered them as four distinct species as follows, Arius 

 gagoroides, C. V.=P. sona, H. B. : Pimelodus arius, H. B. is not Arius arius, C. V. hut^Aritis Bnchanani ; Arius 

 arius, C. Y.^A. falcaHus, Richardson ; Pseudarius arius, Bleeker^Arius angulatus, Bleeker, &c. 



Habitat. — From Bombay through the seas of India, entering estuaries and tidal rivers. It attains at 

 least three feet in length. The specimen figured is 7'5 inches in length and from Bombay. 



11. Arius serratus, Plate XCV, fig. 3. 

 B. vi, D. 1/0, P. 1/10, V. 6, A. 16 (^), C. 17. 



Length of head 5j, of caudal 4^, height of body 5| in the total length. Eyes — diameters 4^ in the 

 length of head, li diameters from end of snout and 2 apart. The greatest width of the head equals its 

 length behind the angle of the mouth. Upper jaw the longer, the vddth of the gape of the mouth equals half 

 the length of the head. Upper surface of the head granulated or with rough lines, most distinct on the occipital 

 process. Median longitudinal groove on the head does not quite reach posteriorly to above the hind edge of the 

 opercle, from it commences a serrated ridge, which is contianed along the occipital process. Occipital process 

 with a serrated keel, a little longer than wide at its base. Basal bone narrow and crescent-shaped. Barbels — 

 the maxillary ones reach to the middle of the pectoral fin, the outer mandibular ones to the gill-opening. 

 Teeth — in the palate villiform in 3 distinct patches on either side, the vomerine patch round, small, and with an 

 interspace between the two, and externally there is another rather longer oval patch. Posteriorly the third 

 patch is parallel to the one on the opposite side. Fins — dorsal higher than the body, its spine which is serrated 

 on both edges, is as long as the head behind the middle of the eyes, and has a soft termination : the length 

 of the base of the adipose 1/2 of that of the rayed fin. Pectoral reaches rather above 1/2 way to the Ventral, 

 its spine stronger but not quite so long as that of the dorsal, externally it is rough in its lower, serrated in its 

 outer half, internally it is denticulated. Ventral does not reach the anal. Upper caudal lobe the longer. 

 Colours — upper surface of the head copper-coloured shot with gold, sides silvery. Fins yellowish, rayed dorsal 

 stained with dark in its outer half : adipose fin with a black spot : a dark band, edged with white, along the 

 outer half of the anal : either caudal lobe dark at its extremity. 



This fish is nearly allied to A. thalassinus, but has much shorter pectoral fins, and longer maxillary 



