Chanda. gangetic fishes. 107 



The head is small, oval, naked, and above each eye is arm- 

 ed with two small prickles. The lower edge of the cheek-bone 

 is indented. The mouth is nearly terminal, and when opened, 

 ihejaws form a conical trunk half as long as the head. The 

 nostrils are near the eyes, and each has only one aperture. 

 The eyes are large, and stand high. Each gill-cover consists 

 of four plates free from scales, and rounded behind, the upper- 

 most of the two before having its edge indented. The mem- 

 branes of the gill-covers are entirely concealed. 



A sharp-pointed naked bone runs down the slope of the 

 back. Both back and belly are very prominent. The vent is 

 before the middle, and the tail above and below is indented 

 at each ray of the fins. The lateral line is high, and there is 

 an appearance of other lateral lines formed by the union of 

 the muscles which act in contrary directions. The scales are 

 minute and smooth, and adhere firmly. Above each ventral 

 fin is a long scale-like appendant. 



On the back there is only one fin, which grows gradually 

 lower and lower from the second ray, which is about twice as 

 long as the last ; the first is short ; the prickles are strong, 

 and the fore part of the third and fourth is indented. The 

 pectoral fins are low, short, and sharp above ; each contains 

 sixteen rays, of which the first is undivided. The ventral fins 

 are close to the vent, and short. The fin behind the vent is 

 shaped like that of the back, and the third prickle is indented 

 on the fore side. The fin of the tail is divided into two 

 bluntish lobes, and contains seventeen distinct rays, besides 

 some short compacted ones on each side. 



3d Species. — Chanda nalua. Plate VI. Fig. 36. 

 A chanda with the back fins united, the second containing 

 eleven soft rays ; with ten soft rays in the fin behind the vent; 



