158 gangetic fishes. Order V. 



of scales, with the mouth surrounded by tendrils, and with one 

 fin on the back, placed toward the tail, and destitute of rays. 



1st Species. — Malapterurus/ coila. 



A malapterurus with eight tendrils. 



This fish is found in the fresh water rivers of Bengal, and 

 grows to about a span in length. It is not an ugly animal, and, 

 by the natives, is considered good eating. It is shaped some- 

 what like the blade of a knife, being long, tapering, much com- 

 pressed at the sides, blunt on the back, and sharp on the under 

 edge. The whole almost is of a silver colour, with some black 

 on the back and on the fin of the tail. 



The head is oval, small, but wider than the body, and blunt. 

 There are eight tendrils, slender, nearly equal in length, and 

 reaching to about the middle of the fish. The mouth is small, 

 and extends straight back, the under jaw being the shortest. 

 The lips are fleshy. The nostrils are circular, and near the jaw. 

 The eyes are of a moderate size, near the middle, round, and 

 protuberant. The gill-covers expose part of their membranes ; 

 but I could not exactly ascertain the number of rays which 

 each contains. Under the lower jaw there is no slit. 



The back forms a smaller arch than the belly. The tail is 

 very long, and its end is bent down, The vent is far forward. 

 On each side are three smooth lateral lines. 



The back fin is small and oval, with its widest end upper- 

 most. The pectoral fins are low, and sharp above, and extend 

 beyond the vent : each contains sixteen rays, of which the first 

 is undivided, flexible, and smooth-edged; the others are 

 branched. The ventral fins are minute, each containing seven 

 rays, of which one on each side is undivided. The fin behind 

 the vent contains seventy-one rays of nearly equal length, the 

 first, second, and third, being undivided, and the others bifid. 



