EsOX. GANGETIC FISHES. 211 



ventral fins also are long, sharpish, and near each other. Each 

 has nine soft rays. The edge of the fin behind the vent is con- 

 cave, and its rays are fifteen, of which the two first are undi- 

 vided, without any membrane interposed. The lobes of the 

 tail fin are short, and it has about eighteen rays. 



XL Genus. — Esox. 



Fishes of the fifth order, with a large mouth, devoid of ten- 

 drils, but furnished with many teeth ; with one back fin, sup- 

 ported by rays, and opposite to that behind the vent ; and with 

 the edge of the belly blunt. 



Besides the circumstances mentioned above, all the species 

 of this genus, which I have seen in India, have the head nar- 

 rower than the body, and flat above. Their eyes are high, but 

 remote from each other, and are of moderate size, and circular. 

 Their gill-covers are rounded, smooth-edged, and consist of 

 one plate. 



1st Species. — Esox panchax. Plate III. Fig. 69. 



An Esox with the fin of the tail entire ; with the jaws equal 

 in length, and short ; with six rays in the back fin ; and with 

 fourteen in that behind the vent. 



The Panchax (Pangchak) is very common in the ditches and 

 ponds of Bengal, grows to about two inches in length, and lives 

 long after being taken out of the water. It is long in propor- 

 tion to its breadth, slightly compressed on the sides, nearly 

 straight above, and prominent, with a regular curve below. It 

 is of a dirty-green above, and white below ; and has one silver 

 coloured spot on the crown of the head, and another before the 

 dorsal fin. On the lower part of this fin is a black spot, and the 

 tail fin is edged with this colour. 



