Clupea. GANGETIC FISHES. 239 



( Great Purava) of Dr Russell, {Indian Fishes, Vol. II. No. 190,) 

 although he does not notice the scale-like appendants above 

 the pectoral and ventral fins, nor the little prickle before the 

 fin of the back. I have derived the specific name from that 

 given by Dr Kussell, although the term Purava seems to be ge- 

 neric, as it, no doubt, forms a part of the words Aduppa adtpu- 

 ruwai, said by La Cepede {Hist, des Poissons, Tome V. p. 459) 

 to be given to the Clupea Malabarica. The latter fish, as de- 

 scribed by Bloch, (Ichth. Tome XII. p. 116, PI. CCCCXXXIL) 

 is very nearly, indeed, allied to ours, although the number of 

 rays in the fins and the colours stated by this author differ con- 

 siderably from what 1 observed. Bloch also says, that the fish 

 of Tranquebar does not enter rivers, while ours is one of the 

 most common in the estuaries of the Ganges. Our fish is also 

 nearly allied to the Clupea setirostris of Bonnaterre, ( Tabl. En- 

 cycl. p. 186, PI. LXXVI. Fig. 316.) 



The Purava grows to about a foot in length, is so full of 

 bones as to be little valued, and, like many fishes of this ge- 

 nus, dies immediately after being taken out of the water. Its 

 back is of a green colour, its sides and belly silver, with a strong 

 gloss, varying from green to purple, and with a tinge of yellow 

 nbove the lateral lines. The eyes are silver. 



The head is blunt, oval, and rather narrower than the body. 

 The mouth is large, and descends obliquely from the extremity 

 of the head. The bones, in place of the upper lip, extend be- 

 yond the gap into a dagger-like process, and are indented on 

 the edges. The under jaw is rather the shortest, and has two 

 ridges on its lower side. In each jaw is a single row of small 

 sharp straight teeth. The fore part of the palate has on each side 

 a longitudinal bone. There is scarcely any tongue, except a 

 ridge, to which one end of the gills is inserted. Each nostril 

 has two oblong apertures near the eye. The eyes are high on 



