240 gangetic fishes. Order V. 



the head, and of moderate size, with circular pupils. The gill- 

 covers are composed of three bony plates, with a sinuosity on 

 the posterior edge of the largest and uppermost plate. Each 

 exposes to view its membrane, which contains eleven rays. The 

 bone of each gill, on its interior side, has a row of parallel slen- 

 der teeth. 



The back is arched, and transversely convex. The belly is 

 more prominent. The lateral line runs straight above the mid- 

 dle of the side. The vent is behind the middle. The scales are 

 orbicular. Before the back fin is a very short recurved prickle. 



The fin on the back, placed between those behind and before 

 the vent, is nearly triangular, and has thirteen rays, of which 

 the three first are undivided and approximated ; the others are 

 branched. The pectoral fins are shorter than the head, and 

 very sharp above. Each has thirteen rays, of which the first is 

 undivided, and the others branched. The ventral fins are ap- 

 proximated, and the first ray of each is undivided. The four first 

 rays of the fin behind the vent are undivided, and lengthen 

 from the first to the fourth : the others are branched, and 

 shorten towards the last. The under lobe of the tail fin is ra- 

 ther the longest and sharpest. In all, this fin contains eighteen 

 distinct rays, besides compacted short ones. 



2d Species. — Clupea phasa. 



A Clupea with the first ray of each pectoral fin very long, 

 and like a bristle ; with both lobes of the tail fin sharp ; with 

 fourteen rays in the fin of the back ; and with about seventy- 

 eight in that behind the vent. 



The name Phasa is generic ; but I have appropriated it to 

 this species, having no other to which it could be more conve- 

 niently applied. This Phasa is common in the brackish rivers 

 of Bengal, and is a beautiful fish, about the size of a small her- 



