Pimelodus. gangetic fishes. 185 



vent, rises gradually backward, and terminates in a very blunt 

 vertical end. The pectoral fins are low, shorter than the head, 

 and shai'p above. Each contains a strong prickle barbed be- 

 hind, and seven soft rays. The ventral fins are still shorter 

 than the pectorals, and each contains six rays, of which the 

 first is undivided. The fin behind the vent slopes a little back- 

 ward, and its three first rays are undivided, and lengthen gra- 

 dually from the foremost, which is very short. The tail fin is 

 divided into two equal sharp lobes. 



19th Species. — Pimelodus telchitta. 



A Pimelodus with the fin of the tail divided into two nearly 

 equal lobes ; with eight tendrils shorter than the head ; with 

 an opaque, rough, reddish body, having on each side one faint 

 stripe ; with thirteen rays in the fin behind the vent ; and with 

 eight in the first of the back. 



This fish frequents the fresh water rivers of Bengal and Be- 

 ll ar, grows to about a span in length, and, when taken out of 

 water, is tenacious of life. It is long in proportion to its 

 breadth, tapers gradually to the tail, and is scarcely compress- 

 ed at the sides. The colour is reddish, with a golden gloss, 

 having a brownish back, and, on each side, a longitudinal stripe 

 of the same colour. The fins are diaphanous. 



The head is small, oval, and sharpish. Above it is covered 

 with bony plates, variously furrowed, of which the hindmost is 

 divided into three parallel processes, extending almost to the 

 first fin of the back. The two tendrils from the nostrils, and 

 the four from under the chin, are very short. The two from 

 the corners of the upper jaw, although longer than the others, 

 are shorter than the head, and have a short membrane con- 

 nected to their hinder edge. The mouth, placed under and 

 behind the extremity of the nose, opens directly back. The 



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