MystUS. GANGETIC FISHES. 237 



rivers of Bengal and Behar, and is usually about two feet in 

 length, but often a half longer. The belly is uncommonly 

 rich and well flavoured ; but the back contains numerous 

 small bones, and a strong prejudice exists against using this 

 fish as food, owing to its being supposed to live on human car- 

 cases. In proportion to its length it is deeper than the other 

 two species. Its colour above is green, with white transverse 

 stripes. The sides and belly are silver, with dark dots collect- 

 ed into masses like clouds. There are some spots on each 

 side of the tail. 



The head, except on the nose, crown, and edges of the gill- 

 covers, is covered with small scales. The bones of the upper 

 lip are entire on the edges. On each jaw are crowded many 

 teeth. Each nostril has two apertures ; the foremost close to 

 the jaw is tubular, the hinder one is small and circular. The 

 eyes are far forward. The edges of the cheek-hones are not in- 

 dented. The under plate of the gill-covers is slightly toothed. 

 The membranes of the gill-covers are exposed to view, but are 

 so thick that their rays cannot be distinctly numbered. 



The back is slightly arched with a sudden declivity at the 

 nape. The edge of the belly is not at all indented. The la- 

 teral line, commencing high, turns suddenly down at the shoul- 

 der, where is has a shining space devoid of scales, and then 

 runs straight along the upper part of the side. The scales are 

 small, and adhere firmly. 



There are only five fins. That on the back is behind the 

 middle, and has nine rays. The pectoral fins are shorter than 

 the head, and each contains about fourteen rays. The ventral 

 fins are minute, and slightly united round the vent, each hav- 

 ing four rays. The fin behind the vent, united with that of 

 the tail, contains somewhere between one hundred and twenty 



