208 gangetic fishes. Order V. 



1st Species. — Sisor rabdophorus. 



Of this genus there is only one species yet known to na- 

 turalists, and this is found in the northern rivers of Bengal and 

 Behar. It is said to grow to seven or eight feet in length, in- 

 cluding the tail fin, and is an ugly deformed animal, on which 

 account, perhaps, it is seldom if ever eaten. The fish is long 

 in proportion to its breadth, flattened before, and tapering 

 equally all round behind. The colour above is brown, with 

 dark cloud-like marks, on the sides white, and below diapha- 

 nous. 



The head is wider than the body, flat, blunt, and covered 

 above with bony plates, which are marked with tubercles and 

 ridges, and end behind in three narrow processes. There are 

 fourteen tendrils, all shorter than the head : two proceed from 

 the corners of the upper jaw ; four on each side proceed from 

 the corner of the under jaw, and are united together at their 

 roots by a short membrane. One on each side proceeds from 

 the vicinity of the four, which are united, and two proceed 

 from the chin. The mouth is below and behind the extremi- 

 ty of the nose, and is small. The lips are fleshy. There are 

 no teeth. Both apertures of each nostril are in the middle, be- 

 tween the jaw and the eye. The eyes are small, and very 

 high. The gill-covers move freely. Each of their membranes 

 has about four rays, which are seen indistinctly. Under the 

 chin, close to the lip, is a slit, which resembles somewhat a se- 

 cond mouth. 



Between the foremost dorsal fin and the head on the back 

 is a bony plate, having three lobes. Near this fin, on each 

 side, are five small plates, nearly united, and disposed in a 

 double row. The back, from the end of its foremost fin to 

 that of the tail, has a tuberculated bony ridge. The shoulder- 

 blades are visible, and extend in a point above the pectoral 



