150 gangetic fishes. Order V. 



chief circumstances in which the others differ. In the first four 

 species I did not ascertain whether or not the jaws protrude in 

 opening ; in the fifth species they do not. 



2d Species. — Silurus pabda. Plate XXV. Fig. 47. 



A silurus with the fin of the tail divided into two blunt lobes, 

 with four tendrils, of which the two upper reach beyond the 

 pectoral fins ; with the prickle in each of these smooth on the 

 edges ; with fifty-four rays in the fin behind the vent ; and 

 with the sides clouded with irregular black marks. 



This fish is found in the ponds and rivers of Bengal. It is 

 of a long lance-shaped form, and much compressed at the sides. 

 The colour above is greenish, and below white, with a longitu- 

 dinal stripe of yellow, changing to purple, above the lateral 

 line. The clouds on the sides consist of black dots. Above 

 each pectoral fin is an irregular dark mark peculiar to this spe- 

 cies. The sides are somewhat diaphanous, so that the divisions 

 of the muscles can be perceived. 



The head is blunt, oval, slightly flattened, and a little wider 

 than the body, but very short. The upper tendrils proceed 

 from above the nostrils ; the lower from under the chin ; and 

 these are shorter than the head. The mouth is large, and 

 slopes a little downward, the upper Jaw being considerably the 

 shortest. The lips are fleshy. In both jaws are crowded 

 many small unequal reflected sharp teeth ; and there are some 

 similar on the palate. The tongue is blunt, thick, smooth, and 

 marked transversely by three pair of veins. The apertures of 

 the nostrils are round, and in the middle, between the eyes and 

 jaw, but above the former. The eyes, which are small and 

 round, are on the side of the head, and near its middle. Each 

 gill-cover consists of one sharp plate, and leaves exposed to view 



x 



