806 PISHES OF INDIA. 



Aktsis pictus. 



Giintlier, Ann. and Mag. N. H. (5) xi, p. 1883, p. 138. 



D. i/0, P. 1/7, V. 6, A. 9. 



Head broader ttan deep. Eyes — wide apart, and twice as distant from the gill-opening' 

 as from the end of the snont. The distance of the anterior nostrils apart equals about 

 half the length of the snout, while the interspace between the anterior and posterior 

 nostrils equals half that present between the front pair. Barbels — nasal half us long as 

 the head, the maxillary reaching to the origin of the dorsal fin, the outer mandibular ones 

 to the axil of the pectoral, while the inner ones are shorter. Fms — dorsal commences 

 midway between the snout and the adipose fin, its spine comparatively strong. _ Anal 

 arises nearer the root of the caudal than that of the pectoral. Caudal emarginate : 

 pectoral extending a little beyond the origin of the dorsal, its spine strong and entire : 

 ventrals reaching the vent. Colours — head grayish with minute black spots, body 

 anteriorly black which is contracted into an irregular band that runs along the middle of 

 the posterior part of the body and tail. Dorsal fin with a black band covering all but its 

 front corner and upper edge : caudal and pectoral banded. 



Habitat. — Tenasserim to 45 millim long. 



Page 475. Oltea longicauda. Add synonym. 



Olyra elongata, Giinther, Annals and Mag. Nat. Hist. p. 



Page 503. Add Family — Galaxidj;. 



Body more or less elongated: abdomen rounded. Pseudobranchise absent. Edge of upper jaw mainly 

 formed by the premaxillaries. Dorsal fin opposite to the anal, no adipose fin. Air-bladder large and simple. 

 Pyloric appendages few. The ova pass into the abdominal cavity before exclusion. 



Genus 1. — Galaxias, Guvier. 

 Mesites, Jenyns. 



Definition as in family. Conical teeth in both jaws, vomer and palatine bones, and large 

 ones on the tongue. 



Habitat. — Southern portion of South America, Australia, New Zealand, and observed to 

 live in fresh waters : this Indian form was from the littoral district. 



Galaxias indicus. 



B. ix, D. 13, P. 10, V. 8, A. 18, C. 15. 



Length of head 8|, of caudal fin 8j, height of body 11 in the total length. Eyes — 

 3^ diameters in the length of the head and 1| from the end of the snout. Body elongated 

 and flattened, with a rounded abdomen. Teeth — fine conical ones in the lower jaw, vomer 

 and palatine bones, and some larger ones on the tongue. Fins — ventral well developed 

 and arising midway between the hind edge of the eye and the posterior extremity of the 

 base of the anal fin. Dorsal fin commences opposite the origin of the anal, and in about 

 the commencement of the last third of the total length it is highest in. front, and the 

 extent of free portion of the tail behind it equals about 1| in the length of its base. 

 Caudal forked. 



Habitat. — Littoral districts of Bengal and Madras, attaining about 2 inches in length. 



Among the drawings of the late Sir Walter Elliot is one of a small fish, a little over 

 1 inch in length, and a magnified copy nearly four times that size. It was taken at 

 Waltair, April 8th, 1853. Its form is deeper than the foregoing, while it has D. 17, 

 A. 24. No ventral fins are shown, and the vent is placed in the centre of the length of 

 the body. Dorsal fin commences slightly in advance of the anal and in the commencement 

 of last third of the total length : caudal forked. Colours — a row of black spots along the 

 edge of the abdomen. Sufficient details are not given to render one able to decide on the 

 position it should hold. In the absence of ventral fins, which may have been overlooked, 

 it somewhat approaches the Leucopsarion Fetersii of Hilgendorf. 



