157 



Aanm. De lieer Cantor, aan wien men de eerste uitvoerige beschrijving dezer soort Ie dan- 

 ken heeft, heeft mij bij de talrijke specimina dezer soort eene nota betrekkelijk haar doen 

 toekomen, welke hieronder volgt. Mijne beschrijving, genomen naar voorwerpen van 100"' lot 

 630'"' lengte, beantwoordt op geringe verschillen na, aan die van den heer Cantor in zijne 

 Galalogue of Malayan Fishes. De getallen der stralen verschillen zeer. De opgaven van den 

 heer Cantor in zijn aangehaald werk en in zijne ondcrvolgende nota, duiden die getallen 

 aan als B. 2o ad 81. D. 318 ad 3H0. P. 12 vel 13. A. 203 ad 247. Bij mijne specimina 

 gaan die getallen voor de rugvin tot 402 en voor de aarsvin lot 206. Ophisurus hai anc.ha 

 Bichards. (1. c.) is eene soort, geheel van Ophisurus boro Buch. verschillende door haar 

 tandenslelscl , zijnde de tanden er scherp en in de kaken twee- tot cenreijig, enz. 



De mij schriftelijk medegedeelde nota van den heer Cantor luidt als volgt. 



» The nalives of Bengal denominate this species indiscriminately: Boro, Borua, Ilaran- 

 » cha , or Halancha. 



» As observed by Buchanan IIamilton, the common length is 18 inches, but individuals 

 » ocenr of much larger size. In January 18o3, a female was taken in the river Hooghly., 

 » which measured 4H% inches in folal length, and 4V S inches in the greatest circumferencc. 

 » In March löo3, anolher was observed, measuring h?>V H inches in length, and 6 inches in 

 » circumferencc. In youngcr indivhluals the groundcolour of the back varics from more 

 » or lcss inlensely black, to light green olive. To judge bij the drawings of Blchanan, 

 » upon which are founded the figures in IIardwicke's Illustrations of Indian Zoolgoy, the ligh- 

 » ter variely bas been described as Ophiurus boro, the darker as Ophiurus harancha. 

 )) The laleral line is more or less conspicuous in different individuals, and this appears lo 

 » have been the principal character by which Buchanan disiinguished his two species. He 

 )> observes, Ihat hara?icha differs but litlle from boro. 



» Of the genus Ophiurus Mr. MacClelland remarks: » the result would be the eslablish- 

 » ment of several species, which we cannot now distinguish with cerlainty'' (Apodal Fisl.es 

 » of Bengal, p. 1B4.) Mr. MacClelland not having been able himself to distinguish species, 

 » which he notwithstandiug bas supplied with names, it is of course impossible for olhcrs 

 » to distinguish such imaginary species. 



» The short description of Ophiurus caudalus MacClelland, materially differs from his 

 » figure (PI. XII, fig. 3). In all probability, the original has been a young individual of 

 « Ophiurus boro, with a more than ordinarily blunt tail. 



)) Dissection of an adult female Ophiurus boro. 



«Total length: 48 7 /, inch. Greatest circumferencc: 6 inch. The heart is very small, about 

 )> '/ T of the length of the head, enclosed in a lax , thick pericardium, situated immedialely 

 » behind the gillopcnings. The anterior, bifid exlremity of the liver clasps the apex of 

 « the heart. The orjjan consists of a single lobe, but presents several transversal fissures. 

 » lis lenglh is about V 2 of the head; ihe greatest breadth about '/ 2 of the length. The 

 » gall-bladd' r is a large oval sac, extending with the poslerior lobe of the liver to the 



