Pimelodus. gangetic fishes. 181 



aperture circular, and the hinder one oblong. The eyes are 

 large, and circular ; but the pupils have their longest diameter 

 placed vertically. The gill-covers are rounded behind, move 

 freely, and contain one smooth bony plate. Their membranes 

 are exposed to view, and contain rays, the number of which I 

 could not exactly ascertain. There is no slit under the throat.^ 



The back, forming a ridge, slopes from the first fin to the 

 head. The belly is prominent, and rounded. The tail tapers 

 gradually, and below is sharp-edged. The lateral line is high, 

 straight, and smooth. The vent is before the middle. 



The first fin of the back slopes very rapidly backward, so that 

 its edge is almost vertical. Its first ray is a strong smooth 

 prickle, and the others are branched. The second fin is higher 

 than its length along the back, and it widens towards the point, 

 which is reflected. The pectoral fins are sharp above, and about 

 as long as the head : each has seven rays, of which the first is 

 a strong prickle, barbed on the hinder edge ; the others are 

 branched. The ventral fins are much smaller than the pecto- 

 rals, and stand near each other : each contains six rays, of 

 which the first is short, and undivided. The edge of the fin be- 

 hind the vent forms a slight arch. It contains about forty-two 

 rays, of which the first three are undivided. The fin of the tail 

 is divided into two divaricating lobes, nearly equal in length, 

 and convex on their posterior edge. 



17th Species. — Pimelodus carcio. 



A Pimelodus with the tail fin bifid ; with eight tendrils, of 

 which two only are longer than the head ; with the body nearly 

 opaque ; with four dotted longitudinal stripes on each side ; and 

 with fourteen rays in the fin behind the vent, and eight in that 

 of the back. 



This fish I found in ponds in the northern parts of Bengal. 



