550 PHTSOSTOMI, 



1. Semvplotm modestus, D. 24, A. 9-10, L. 1. 32-34. Last undivided dorsal ray osseous and serrated. 



Akyab. 



B. — Smooth dorsal ray. 



2. Semiplotus MoGlellandi, D. 3/25, A. 9, L. 1. 27. Last undivided dorsal ray osseous and entire. 

 Colour, silvery. Assam and Burma. 



A. — Serrated dorsal ray. 

 1. Semiplotus modestus, Plate CXXXIII, fig. 1. 



Day, Proc. Zool. Soc. 1870, p. 101. 



B. iii, D. 24(A), P- 15, V. 9, A. d-lOU-r), C. 19, L. 1. 32-34, L. tr. 7i/7i. 



Length of head 5i to 5^, of caudal 4i, height of body nearly 3 in the total length. %es— diameter 

 3 to Si- in the length of head, 1 diameter from end of snout, li diameters apart. Snout broad, obtuse, 

 overhanging the mouth : several open pores on either side. Mouth inferior, transverse, a thin cartilaginous 

 covering to the lower jaw. A small knob at the symphysis. The posterior extremity of the maxilla extends 

 to beneath the middle of the orbit. Barbels— ahaent. Teei^— pharyngeal, 4, 3, 2/2, 3, 4. J'ws— dorsal fin 

 commences anterior to the origin of the ventral, and extends to above the anal, its last undivided ray is osseous, 

 serrated, and as long as the head excluding the snout. The pectoral reaches the ventral and the latter the 

 anal. Caudal forked. Lateral-lme—B^ rows of scales between it and the base of the ventral fin. Colov/rs — 

 silvery, darkest in the upper half of the body. Ventrals and anal tipped with orange. 



Habitat. — Hill ranges near Akyab : two specimens obtained, up to h\ inches in length. 



B. — Smooth dorsal ray. 

 2. Semiplotus MoClellandi, Plate CXXXIII, fig. 4. 



Cyprmus semvplotus, McCleU. Ind. Cyp. pp. 274, 346, pi. xxxvii, fig. 2 ; Cuv. and Val. xvi, p. 68. 



Semiplotus MeClelloMdi, Bleeker, Atl. Ich. Cyp. p. 25 ; Giinther, Catal. vii, p. 204. 



Sundaree, Sentoree, and Lah-bo-e, Assam. 



B. iii, D. 27-28(^?^), P. 16, V. 10, A. 9(-?), C. 19, L. I. 27-33, L. tr. 6/6. 



Length of head 5^ to 6, of caudal 4 to 4i, height of body 3^ in the total length. Eyes — in the middle 

 of the length of the head, diameter from 4 to 6 in the length of head, the width of the interorbital space 

 equalling rather above half the length of the head. Dorsal profile more convex than that of the abdomen : 

 the height of the head equals its length. Snout obtuse, and thickened : with a row of about 6 open pores, 

 passing across it and towards the orbit. A homy covering to lower jaw. Barbels — absent. Teeth — pharyngeal, 

 plough-shaped, 4, 3, 2/2, 3, 4. Fins — dorsal commences midway between the end of the snout and the end of 

 the base of the anal fin, its height slightly exceeding half of that of the body, its last undivided ray strong, 

 osseous, entire, and rather longer than the head excluding the snout. Pectoral nearly as long as the head, it 

 reaches to above the ventral, which is inserted below the fourth or fifth dorsal ray. Anal laid flat nearly reaches 

 the base of the caudal which latter is deeply forked. Lateral-line — nearly straight, 3f rows of scales between 

 it and the base of the ventral fin. Golov/rs — of a leaden silver, darkest superiorly : the pectoral, ventral, and 

 anal orange. 



Griffith observes that the smaller examples are usually found near rapids, the larger ones in deeper water 

 where of an evening they are seen rising, but refuse all baits. McClelland states that this fish is reckoned the 

 most delicious in Assam. I can however record from personal observation that it is rich and very liable to set 

 up intestinal irritation. 



Habitat. — Rivers in Assam, especially in the upper portions of that district, but found as low as Goalpara : 

 also Burma. It is often termed Bajah-mas, or "kings' fish" in upper Assam, as it is asserted that when captured 

 it had to be taken to the Rajahs for their own consumption. As it is very common this explanation is 

 improbable. More likely a tax was levied on its capture. It attains at least two feet in length. 



Genus, 14— -Scaphiodon, Heckel. 



Capoeta, sp. and Ohond/rostoma, sp. Cuv. and Yal. : Dillonia, Gynmostomus, sp. Heckel. 



Abdomen rounded. Snout rounded. Mouth transverse, imferior, with the mandibular edge nearly straight 

 and sha/rp : without any Imob above the symphysis. The mandibles angula/rly bent imoards. A homy layer inside 

 the lower jaw, which is not covered by lip. No lower labial fold. Ba/rbels fov/r, two, or absent. Bham/ngeal teeth, 

 plough-shaped,_ 5 or 4, 3, 2/2, 3, 4 or 5. Dorsal fin of moderate extent,* its last wndvoided ray being osseous and 

 serrated or entire, or else oHiculated. Anal rather short. Scales la/rge, of moderate or small size, and sometimes 

 vrregula/rly disposed. Lateral-line passing to the centre of the base of the caudal fm. 



This genus is closely allied to Semiplotus, but its dorsal fin is of less extent. 



* None of the following species agree with Dr. Giinther's definitiojiof the genus (,Ca^oeta) ScomUodon ;— Dorsal fin "with not 

 more than nme bra,nched ray^s," all exceeding that number, 



