Trichopodus. gangetic fishes. 117 



the others receives a specific appellation prefixed to the gene- 

 ric name. 



1st Species. — Trichopodus colisa. Plate XV. Fig. 40. 



A trichopodus with the fin of the tail fan-shaped ; with trans- 

 verse bars on the sides of green and pale yellow, and with the 

 back fin rounded behind. 



This species is sometimes found five inches long. Above it 

 is of a fine green colour, below whitish, with many pale brass- 

 coloured bars descending obliquely back along the sides. The 

 vent fin is edged with red, and it is variegated with black, green, 

 and white. The back and tail fins are spotted with black, and 

 on the hinder part of the former are an intermixture of red 

 spots. On each gill-cover there is a green spot. The eyes are 

 red. 



The head is blunt, and under each eye is armed with a sharp- 

 pointed bone indented on the lower edge, the fore end of which 

 the animal can at pleasure turn outward. The lower edge of the 

 cheek-bone is indented. The teeth are very minute. The tongue 

 is scarcely observable. The palate is smooth. The nostrils are 

 circular. The eyes are of a moderate size, with circular pupils. 

 Each gill-cover consists of two plates, ends in a point behind, 

 and is indented on the lower edge. The membrane of the gill- 

 covers is exposed on the throat. I can observe in it no rays, 

 owing, perhaps, to its thickness. The bones of the gills are 

 smooth on the inside. 



The back and tail have a furrow for receiving the prickles of 

 their fins. The lateral line is high and straight, and, opposite 

 to the last prickle on the back, is broken into two parts. The 

 scales are large, adhere firmly, are dotted before, and marked 

 towards the ends with diverging rays. 



The back fin contains sixteen strong prickles, and eleven 



