Cheilodipterus. gangetic fishes. 57 



2d Species. — Cheilodipterus butis. 



A cheilodipterus with a rounded tail fin ; and with six prickles 

 in the first fin of the back. 



This fish is found in the river below Calcutta, but not in great 

 numbers. It does not exceed a span in length, and is of a 

 blackish colour, with the hinder fins spotted with red, and the 

 ventrals with black. There are two red spots at the roots of 

 the pectoral fins. 



The head, viewed from above, is blunt, and slopes consider- 

 ably downwards, so that the jaws are flattened, the under one 

 being the longest. In both jaws are small teeth almost like 

 bristles. Each nostril has only one aperture near the eye. The 

 ayes are black. The gill-covers end in a point, and in each of 

 their membranes there are seven rays. 



The back is arched, the belly is straight. The lateral lines are 

 not observable. The vent is nearly in the middle. The tail is 

 a little compressed, and rounded at the end. The scales on the 

 body are large in proportion, and their edges are beset with 

 short, stiff, hair-like incisures. 



The bach fins are near the middle. The first is arched, and 

 its prickles are slender. The second fin is sharp behind, and 

 contains nine rays. There are eighteen in each of the pectoral 

 fins, which are short and rounded. The ventral fins are rather 

 more forward than the pectorals, are sharp pointed, and each 

 contains five rays. The anal fin is on the fore part of the tail, 

 ends sharp behind, and contains nine rays. The tail fin con- 

 tains eight long rays, and about seven short ones, closely com- 

 pacted. 



3d Species. — Cheilodipterus panijus. 

 A cheilodipterus with the tail fin ending in a straight line ; and 



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