Ophiocephalus. gangetic fishes. 67 



5th Species. — Ophiocephalus barca. Plate XXXV. 



Fig. 20. 



An ophiocephalus with about fifty-two rays in the back fin, 

 and five in each ventral. 



This fish I found in the Brahmaputra river, near Goyalpara, 

 where it inhabits perpendicular banks in holes dug like those 

 of the Martin, (Hirundo.) In these it lurks watching for its 

 prey with its head out ; and, notwithstanding its strong and 

 variegated colours, is an ugly animal. It is found three feet 

 long, and is considered by the natives as excellent food. 



The upper parts are of a dark-green colour, the sides yellow, 

 and the under parts white. On the head, back, and sides, are 

 many black irregular spots, with a few red intermixed. Some 

 of those on the head are clustered round a common centre, so 

 as to resemble the rays of a star. The back, tail, and anal fins 

 are yellowish-olive, with numerous black spots, and the two 

 first are edged with red. The pectoral fins are reddish, spot- 

 ted with black. 



The head is nearly of the same width with the body. In 

 opening the mouth the upper jaw is protruded. The small 

 teeth in the upper jaw are not intermixed with larger, but there 

 is a row of the latter in the lower jaw. Immediately behind 

 the jaw there is a line of teeth on the palate. The tongue is 

 blunt. The eyes are far forward, and rather small. The gill- 

 covers are blunt, and each of their membranes contains four 

 rays. 



There is no distinct lateral line. The vent is before the 

 middle. The scales are large and smooth. 



The back fin terminates behind in a sharp point, and all its 

 rays are divided at the end. Each pectoral fin contains sixteen 

 rays, the anal has thirty-five, and that of the tail nineteen. 



