Malapterurus. gangetic fishes. 157 



nostril is close to the jaw, and circular ; and the hinder one is 

 higher up, and oblong. The eyes are placed in the middle, are 

 large, and look downward ; and the longest axis of their pupil 

 is vertical. Each gill-cover contains three plates, and leaves ex- 

 posed its membrane, which contains eight rays. 



The back slopes very little, and is not so protuberant as the 

 belli/ ; before the fin it has a sharp ridge. The hinder part of 

 the belly, and all the lower side of the tail, have also sharp 

 edges. The end of the tail is rounded, and a little dilated. The 

 lateral line is above the middle, and is straight and smooth. 

 The vent is near the middle. 



The back fin slopes very suddenly from the first ray, which 

 is a prickle, indented behind, and terminated by a substance 

 like whalebone ; there are, besides, seven branched rays. The 

 pectoral fins are low, sharp above, and of moderate length : each 

 contains twelve rays, of which the first is a prickle, indented 

 on both edges ; the others are branched. The ventral fins are 

 very small, and at a distance from each other : each contains 

 six soft rays, of which the first is undivided. The fin behind 

 the vent does not approach that of the tail, and, near the body, 

 is covered by a thick skin. It contains twenty-nine soft rays, 

 of which the first four are undivided and contiguous to each 

 other, and increase much in length from the first, which is very 

 short. The other twenty-five rays decrease gradually in length 

 to the end, which is rather angular, and are branched. The tail 

 fin is long, and deeply divided into two sharp lobes. It con- 

 tains seventeen distinct rays, with some short ones at each 

 side. 



V. Genus. — Malapterurus. 

 Fishes of the fifth order, with a smooth slimy skin, destitute 



