52 gangetic fishes. Order IV. 



length. The palate is smooth. Each nostril consists of two 

 apertures placed midway between the eyes and mouth. The 

 eyes are far back, and of moderate size. The gill-covers move 

 freely, and conceal their membranes, each containing five rays, 

 the three middle ones of which are very near each other. The 

 gill openings are large. 



The lateral line runs straight in the middle of the side. The 

 vent is near the middle. The tail is rounded at the end. The 

 scales are imbricated, terminate in an angle behind, and adhere 

 firmly. 



The first back fin is scarcely higher than the second, and con- 

 tains six undivided strong rays, a little longer than the mem- 

 branes, which are interposed between every two : the first is a 

 little shorter than the second, which is the longest ; the others 

 gradually diminish in length. The rays of the second fin are 

 nearly of equal lengths, and the fin behind ends in a sharp 

 point. Its first ray is undivided, the others are branched, and 

 the last is divided to the root into two, so that some may choose 

 to say that there are eleven rays. The pectoral fins are large 

 and round, and their rays are branching. The ventral fin is 

 small, and forms a kind of hood below. It contains twelve 

 branched rays. The fin behind the vent resembles the second 

 of the back, and the first and last of its rays are simple, while 

 the others are branched. The tail Jin is rounded, and contains 

 fourteen branched rays, besides both above and below several 

 short undivided ones, the number of which cannot be accu- 

 rately ascertained. 



10th Species. — Gobius sada^undio:. 

 A gobius with eight rays in the hinder fin of the back. 

 This fish is found in the estuaries near Calcutta, and grows 



