288 ACANTHOPTERYGII. 



extends posteriorly to below the anterior third of the orbit. Barbels — below the symphysis of the mandible 

 are a short pail - . Teeth — in villiform rows in both jaws, with an onter enlarged one in both, the anterior 10 in 

 the premaxillaries being large and eanine-like, the outer 10 or 12 in the lower jaw are also enlarged, but not to 

 the same size as in the upper jaw, the external one on either side is a recurved canine. Fins — dorsal spines, 

 especially the second and third, filiform and prolonged far beyond the membrane : rays increase in length to the 

 last which reaches to the base of the caudal fin, and is as high as the body, it is divided to its base. Pectoral as 

 long as the head excluding the snout. Anal similar to soft dorsal. Caudal wedge-shaped or rather rounded. 

 Scales — small, rounded, and cycloid anteriorly : about 20 rows existing anterior to the dorsal fin, none on the 

 head ; those on the remainder of the body are angular and feebly ctenoid, eight rows between the second dorsal 

 and anal fins. Colours — olive, many of the scales with light bluish spots, a deep blue spot on the shoulder, 

 second dorsal and anal dark, each with a reddish outer edge : ventral and last two-thirds of caudal gray. 



A beautifully finished coloured drawing of this species* exists amongst Sir W. Elliot's collection, and 

 was named by Jerdon as above. 



Habitat. — Seas of India to the Malay Archipelago, the specimen figured (life-size) is from Madras. 



11. Gobius criniger, Plate LXII, fig. 2. 



? Gobius nebulosus, Porsk. p. 24 ; Bl. Schn. p. 72 ; Cuv. and Val. xii, p. 84. 



Gobius criniger, Cuv. and Val. xii, p. 82 ; Cantor, Catal. p. 184 ; Bleeker, Banka, p. 453 ; Richards. Erebus 

 and Terror, p. ii, pi. i, figs. 3 and 4 ; Giinther, Catal. iii, p. 29 ; Day, Pish. Malabar, p. 111. 

 Gobius brevifilis,f Cuv. and Val. xii, p. 90 ; Day, Proc. Zool. Soc. 1867, p. 940. 

 Gobius Krefftii, Steind. Verh. z. b. Ges. Wien, 1867, p. 326. 

 Gobius caninus, Gunth. and Playfair, Fish. Zanz. p. 71, pi. ix, f. 1 (not Cuv. and Val.). 



B. v, D. 6 | 10, P. 19, V. 1/5, A. 10, C. 13, L. 1. 26-32, L. tr. 12-13. 



Length of head 4, of caudal 5|, height of body 4| in the total length. Eyes — diameter 3| to 4 in the 

 length of head, 1 diameter from end of snout, and 1/2 a diameter apart. SnOut obtuse : jaws of about the same 

 length anteriorly. Cleft of mouth oblique, commencing anteriorly opposite the middle of the eyes, the depth of 

 its cleft equalling the width of its gape : the maxilla reaches to below front edge or first third of the eye. 

 Greatest width of head equals its height, or its length excluding the snout. Several rows of fine warts across 

 the cheeks, opercles, upper surface of head, and nape of neck: 1 an open pore between the eyes. Teeth — in 

 several villiform rows in both jaws, an outer enlarged row in anterior portion of the lower jaw, the outer of 

 which is a small recurved canine : an anterior enlarged row in premaxillaries. Fins — the two dorsals with a 

 narrow interspace between their bases, and of about the same height or 1/6 of the total length, the second and 

 third spines often with filamentous terminations : last dorsal ray divided, to its base. Pectoral as long as the 

 head excluding the snout, and of similar length to the ventral. Caudal rounded. Scales — ctenoid, none on the 

 head nor in front of base of first dorsal fin. Colours — pale ochreous : head, body, dorsal, and caudal fins 

 irregularly spotted and blotched with black : caudal and anal with dark edges. 



This is " Gobius ■ ," Jerdon, M. J. L. and Sc. 1851, p. 143. 



Habitat. — East coast of Africa, seas of India to the Malay Archipelago and beyond. The specimen 

 figured (life-size) is from Madras, where it is common all the year round in the sea and backwaters. 



12. Gobius puntang, Plate LXII, fig. 1. 



Bleeker, Nat. Tyds. Ned. Ind. hi, p. 692 (? ii, p. 486) : Giinther, Catal. iii, p. 19. 



Gobius puntangoides, Bleeker, Ceram, iii, p. 242. 



Gobius Andamanensis, Day, Proc. Zool. Soc. 1870, p. 691. 



B. v, D. 6 | T V, P. 17, V. 1/5, A. 10, C. 11, L. 1. 28-29, L. tr. 8-9. 



Length of head 4i to 51, of caudal 3J, height of body 4f to 5| in the total length. Eyes — diameter 1/4 

 of length of head, li diameters from end of snout, and 1/2 a diameter apart. Jaws of the same length 

 anteriorly. Upper profile of head rounded, a considerable rise from the snout to the forehead. Greatest width 

 of head two-thirds and its height three-fourths of its length. Cleft of mouth very slightly oblique, the maxilla 

 reaches to below the middle of the orbit : two open pores between the orbits. Teeth — in several villiform rows, 

 the outer row in the premaxillaries rather enlarged, as is also the external row in the lower jaw which ends 

 laterally in a small canine. Fins — dorsal spines flexible, with filamentous terminations, the first three 



* I am unable to find any record that Gobius caninus, C.V. has been taken in India unless it is this species. The 

 type has L. 1. 33, L. tr. 8, and 18 rows of scales anterior to the dorsal fin, which are not much smaller than those on the body. 

 Width of head 3/4 its height. Glands on head, but no scales. It appears to have been found in the Malay Archipelago and beyond, but 

 it is by no means improbable that it frequents the seas of India. 



G. grandinosus, Val. Voy. Bonito, Poiss. p. 177, pi. 5, f. 4, is very similar, it has D. 6 | 11, A. 10, L. 1. 30, L. tr. 9. Head 4f, 

 caudal and body each 5£ in the total length. Eyes— diameter 1/4 of head, 1J diameters from end of snout, and 1/4 apart. Width of 

 head equals its height. Lines of warts on scaleless cheeks. Teeth— one or two recurved but not very large canines on either side of 

 lower jaw. Scales — 25 rows of small ones between dorsal and occiput, a few on upper edge of opercle. 



f Bleeker, " Fishes of Madagascar," p. 77, observes " Gobius auchenotamia, Bleekev=Gobius brevifilis, C.V. f " 



