302 ACANTHOPTERTGII. 



dorsal low, the first connected by its membrane to the base of the second. Caudal lanceolate. Scales — very 

 small. Colours — olive or brownish, palest below : caudal reddish dotted with brown. 



This fish appears from the description (as yet I have not seen the type) to be identical with A. lamceolatus. 

 It is said to be remarkable by the largeness of its teeth and the smallness of its eyes ; this last character 

 bringing it nearly to the genus Amblyopus. However its eyes are stated as 1/6 of the length of the head, and 

 A. lanceolatus is said to have them of exactly the same size. As regards the size of its teeth these vary 

 exceedingly in different specimens. 



Habitat. — Coromandel coast of India. 



7. Apocryptes bato, Plate LXIV, fig. 6. 



Gobius bato, Ham. Buch. Fish. Ganges, pp. 40, 365, pi. 37, f. 10. 



Apocryptes bato, Cuv. and Val. xii, p. 143, pi. 369 ; Bleeker, Beng. en Hind. p. 103, and Gobioides, 1874, 

 p. 39 ; Giintner, Catal. iii, p. 82. 

 JB/utta, Ooriah. 



B. iv, D. 5 | 21-22, P. 23, V. 1/5, A. 23, C. 13. 



Length of head 6 to 6J-, of caudal 4f, height of body 7 in the total length. Eyes — rather high up, 

 diameter 5| to 6 in the length of head, 1 to \\ diameters from end of snout, and 1 apart. Interorbital space 

 slightly concave. Greatest width of head equals its height or 2/3 of its length : snout rounded. Upper jaw 

 slightly the longer : cleft of mouth nearly horizontal ; the gape slightly exceeds the extent of the cleft : the 

 maxilla reaches to below the first third or centre of the eye. Teeth — about 24 on either side of both jaws, all 

 of which are notched at their extremities, those in the mandible horizontal : two moderately sized posterior 

 canines in the lower jaw. Fins — dorsal and anal fins of about the same height, and equal to 2/3 of that of 

 the body. Pectoral half as long as the head, ventral reaches half way to the anal. Caudal lanceolate, most 

 expanded in examples from Orissa. Scales — cycloid, large and small ones intermixed, beco min g largest 

 posteriorly, and extended on to the head. Colours — greenish-white, with about twelve ill-defined narrow bands, 

 descending from the back towards the abdomen : scales with brown points : fins white, but also with minute 

 dots : a dark band at the base of the pectoral. 



Habitat. — Orissa and Lower Bengal within tidal reach, attaining 6| inches length. The specimen 

 figured (life-size) is from Calcutta. 



Genus, 4 — Apocetptichthts. 

 BrancMostegals five. Gill-openings rather small. Body elongated. Teeth in a single fixed row in either 

 jaw, those in the premaxillaries curved, pointed, elongated, and with a long canine on either side of the symphysis : 

 those in the loiver jaw sub-horizontal, rather swollen at their free extremities, and no posterior canines. Two separate 

 dorsal fins, the first with six flexible spines, the second elongated and similar to the anal. Ventrals united, forming a 

 dish and only connected to the body by their bases. Caudal lanceolate. Scales cycloid, absent from the head, 

 becoming largest posteriorly. 



The fish for which this Genus is proposed is rather peculiar in possessing or being deficient in characters 

 appertaining to the Apocryptina and Amblyopina. 



It can hardly be an Apocryptes as it has no posterior canines above the symphysis of the lower jaw, 

 whilst the teeth in its premaxillaries are very elongate : its eyes are not prominent, and are larger than in the 

 Amblyopina ; its dorsal fins likewise are distinct. 



SYNOPSIS OF INDIVIDUAL SPECIES. 



1. Apocryptichthys Cantoris, D. 6 ] 27, A. 26, L. 1. ca. 90, L. tr. 17. Grapsh- olive with dark fins. 

 Andamans and Madras. 



1. Apocryptichthys Cantoris, Plate LXII, fig. 7. 



Apocryptes Cantoris, Day, Proc. Zool. Soc. 1870, p. 693. 



B. v, D. 6 | 27, P. 19, V. 1/5, A. 26, C. 17, L. 1. ca. 90, L. tr. 17. 



Length of head 1/4, of caudal 1/5, height of body 1/9 of the total length. Eyes — not prominent, 

 diameter 1/6 of length of head, 1 diameter from end of snout, and 2/3 of a diameter apart. Head rather 

 depressed, its lower surface flat : greatest width equals its height or 2/5 of its length. Cleft of mouth slightly 

 oblique, commencing anteriorly opposite the lower edge of the eye, the maxilla reaches to 1 diameter of the 

 orbit behind its posterior edge. An angular pendulous flap of skin from the preorbital falls to over the teeth 

 on the side of the upper jaw. No barbels. Teeth — fixed, curved, and elongated, about 13 on either side of both 

 jaws, the two central ones in the premaxillaries being long pointed canines curving downwards extending far 

 beyond the lips ; those in the lower jaw sub-horizontal and curved slightly upwards, whilst their extremities are 

 rather enlarged, no posterior canines. Fins — first and second dorsals of about the same height : the membrane 

 of the first dorsal continued almost to the base of the second. Base of the pectoral not muscular, the fin as 

 long as the head behind the eyes : ventrals with a well developed basal membrane, not adherent to abdomen. 

 Caudal lanceolate. Scales— cycloid, about 90 rows along the body much smallest anteriorly ; 17 rows between 

 bases of second dorsal and anal. None on the head. Gill-opening rather small, before the lower half of the 



