Pimelodus. gangetic fishes. 161 



size. In proportion to its breadth it is very long, and is much 

 compressed at the sides, with the upper edge rounded, and a 

 great part of the lower edge sharp, somewhat like a knife. 

 The back is of a dusky green colour ; and, although the sides 

 are like silver, the fish has a dirty lurid appearance, with a 

 shade of livid hue. The back and tail fins are greenish, the 

 others are white. 



The head is short, thick, but not flattened, oval, with little 

 slope, smooth, and covered with skin. On its summit is a 

 longitudinal furrow. A tendril proceeds from each side of the 

 upper jaw, but scarcely reaches farther than the corner of the 

 mouth. The mouth is of a moderate size ; and, when shut, de- 

 scends backward. The under jaw is rather the longest. The 

 lips are fleshy. The teeth in each jaw, and on a crescent- 

 shaped bone on the fore part of the palate, are sharp, of une- 

 qual size, numerous, crowded, and of moderate size : on the 

 four bones at the throat, they are very small and imbricated. 

 The tongue is tied down, smooth, and blunt. The nostrils are 

 small and circular ; the foremost aperture is close to the jaw, 

 and the other near it. The eyes are far forward, high, and 

 convex ; the greatest axis of their pupil is vertical. Each gill- 

 cover is rounded behind, and exposes to view its membrane, 

 which has ten rays. Under the throat is a slit. 



On the body there are no naked bones. The back descends 

 very little, and projects less than the belly, which is blunt-edged 

 to the ventral fins. The tail diminishes gradually, and is sharp- 

 edged below. The lateral line descends in a curve, with its 

 concavity towards its back. The vent is rather before the 

 middle. 



The first fin of the back is far forward, and diminishes ra- 

 pidly backward from the second ray, which is the longest ; 

 the first is a strong compressed prickle, with blunt knobs be- 



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