206 Apodal Fishes of Bengal. 



shewing 4, semilunar valves at c. communi- 

 cating between the auricle A. and ventricle 

 B. in the genus Pneumabranchus. 



V. — General Synopsis of Apodal Fishes. 



The following Synopsis shows the position of the Bengal 

 species in the general classification of the fishes of this order, 

 here rendered as complete in regard to foreign species, as 

 the works of reference to which I have excess would admit 

 of. It is however very imperfect, and can only be useful 

 as bringing together all the well known and authentic spe- 

 cies for the convenience of students. The species of Upper 

 India, of the Mountain Provinces of Kemaon, Sekim, Nipal, 

 Girwal, &c. have yet to be added to the list. This can now be 

 done by any one commonly versed in such enquiries, although 

 I may say without arrogance that no subject could be involv- 

 ed in greater obscurity than this, when the present task was 

 undertaken. Of 100 known species, it will be seen from the 

 table of Geographical distribution, with which this paper is 

 concluded, that 37 belong to Asia, 24 to Europe, Y] to Ameri- 

 ca, and 17 to Africa. It will be seen however, that of the 37 

 Asiatic species, 26 are peculiar to Bengal alone, and if we in- 

 clude Arrakan as a portion of the Province, Bengal in that case 

 affords one-third more species than all Europe, and twice as 

 many as North and South America together. From the 

 same table we also learn, that Apodal Fishes prevail most in 

 variety as we approach the tropics. Thus, while North 

 America has but six species, South America possesses eleven ; 

 and while Great Britain has only six, the Mediterranean has 

 also eleven ; and the Nile contains but five species, while the 

 lower Ganges contains twenty-six. 



The same table likewise shows that there are several 

 genera, but no species common to Europe and Asia, while 

 there is no genus common to Asia and America. 



