CoiuS. GANGETIC FISHES. 95 



edged plates. The membrane attached is not entirely hid, and 

 contains seven rays. 



The back is arched and rounded on the edge. The belly is 

 flat. The scales are large, adhere firmly, and are indented on 

 the edge. Above each ventral fin is a short scale-like appen- 

 dant. 



The first fin of the back slopes gradually behind from the 

 point of the third ray, the two first being short, and contains 

 eleven strong prickles. The edge of the second fin forms an 

 arch. It contains one short prickle and fourteen soft rays, of 

 which the first is undivided, and the last split into two to the 

 bottom. The pectoral fins are of moderate size and sharp above, 

 and each contains seventeen rays, of which the first, second, and 

 seventeenth, are undivided. The prickle of each ventral fin is 

 slender. The fin behind the vent slopes towards the tail ; its 

 foremost prickle is small, and its last soft ray is very deeply di- 

 vided into two. The tail fin contains seventeen distinct rays, 

 besides some short compacted ones at each side. 



6th Species.— Coius polota. Plate XXXVIII. Fig. 31. 



A coius with the fin of the tail fan-shaped ; with twelve 

 prickles and an equal number of soft rays in the back fins ; 

 with three prickles and nine soft rays in the fin behind the 

 vent ; and with the second ray of each ventral fin elongated in- 

 to two bristles. 



This fish is found in the estuaries of the Ganges, but is not 

 very common, nor is it considered good for eating. It is very 

 tenacious of life. 



The form is short, much compressed, and high-backed. The 

 whole is scaly and rough to the feel. When of the ordinary 

 size of four or five inches in length, it is of a very pale- 

 green colour above and white below, is marked longitudinally 



