Calliomorus. gangetic fishes. 135 



angle of each eye is a recumbent strong short prickle. At the 

 posterior angle of each cheek-bone are two strong awl-shaped 

 thorns. The mouth is large, and descends obliquely in a straight 

 line. The jaws, when open, are protruded ; and the upper, 

 which is the shortest, has a ridge in the middle. The lips are 

 fleshy, the upper one double, and without bones. On the lower 

 jaw is a line covered with many crowded teeth. In the upper 

 jaw is a similar line, which, towai'ds each corner, grows nar- 

 row ; and in the middle, among the small sharp crowded teeth, 

 are intermixed some large ones. On the fore part of the palate 

 is a bone in form of a crescent, and covered with teeth ; and 

 behind this, on each side, is a row of erect parallel teeth, placed 

 close to each other. The tongue is smooth, broad, and ends in a 

 concavity. The eyes are on the crown of the head, but far from 

 each other, and far forward. They are small, with heart-shaped 

 pupils ; and the animal possesses the power of withdrawing 

 them to the level of the head, and of then again rendering 

 them protuberant. The gill-covers consist of one plate, round- 

 ed behind, with a sinus above and below. They move freely, 

 leave a large opening, are covered with scales and rough, and 

 do not conceal their membranes, each of which contains seven 

 rays. 



The back is straight, rounded across, and provided with a 

 furrow for lodging the foremost back fin. The lateral lines are 

 high, straight, and elevated to a ridge. The vent is before the 

 middle. The scales are small, indented on the edge, and of an 

 oblong form, and adhere firmly. 



On the back there are two distinct fins. The first contains 

 eight prickles, and slopes down from the third, which is the 

 longest, the two first being very short. The second fin is in- 

 dented on the edge, and contains thirteen rays, of nearly equal 

 length ; the first being undivided, and the others branched. 



