306 ACANTHOPTERYGII. 



Lengtli of head 5f, of caudal 4£ to 4§, height of body 7§ to 8 in the total length. Eyes — rather 

 prominent, diameter 1/7 of length of head, 1 diameter from end of snout, and 1/3 of a diameter apart. 

 Greatest width of head equals 2j in its length, and its height equals 1/2 its length. Snout obtuse, descending 

 almost vertically from the eyes, the anterior end of the cleft of the mouth below the middle of the height of 



the head, its cleft slightly oblique, and the maxilla reaches to below the hind margin of the orbit. Barbels 



absent. Teeth — three on either side of the middle of the upper jaw, pointed, and directed downwards, about 

 25 small, conically shaped ones along either branch of the upper jaw : about 25 truncated and notched 

 sub-horizontal ones along either side of the lower jaw, and a pair of posterior canines. Fins — first dorsal 

 nearly or as high as the body, its base slightly longer than its height, it does not extend so far as to the base of 

 the second dorsal : the second dorsal commences midway between the anterior margin of the orbit and the base 

 of the caudal fin, its rays are about half as high as those of the first dorsal and equal throughout. Pectoral as 

 long as the head without the snout : ventrals entirely united, more than half as long as the head, and extending 

 half way to the vent : anal commencing under the fourth dorsal ray, its posterior rays slightly the longest and 

 about half as high as those of the second dorsal ; caudal pointed, its lower rays truncated. Scales — distinct on 

 the body, but somewhat indistinct on the head. Colours — gray, first dorsal purplish, covered with round black 

 spots : the second with two or three rows of oblong white spots : caudal black. 



Habitat. — Bombay and coast of Sind, to 6 inches in length. 



3. Boleophthalmus dentatus, Plate LXIV, fig. 10. 

 Cuv. and Val. xii, p. 208, pi. 355. 

 B. v, D. 5 | 27, P. 19, V. 1/5, A. 26-27, C. 15. 



Length of head 5 to 5|-, of caudal 4 to 4i, height of body 7\ to 8-§- in the total length. Eyes — rather 

 prominent, diameter 1/7 of length of head, li to 2 diameters from the end of snout, and half a diameter or less 

 apart. Head, its breadth equals its height and half its length. Snout somewhat obtuse, the anterior end of the 

 cleft of the mouth is opposite about the middle of the height of the head, its cleft is slightly oblique, and the 

 maxilla reaches to below the hind margin of the orbit. Barbels — absent. Teeth — three on either side of the 

 middle of the upper jaw, elongate, directed downwards and slightly forwards, about 25 conical ones along either 

 branch of the upper jaw. A pair of enlarged, recurved canines internally and behind symphysis of the lower 

 jaw, and from 35 to 40 nearly horizontal teeth, on either branch of the lower jaw, with their summits 

 tricuspidate, or else with a slight lobe on the outer side. Fins — first dorsal one fourth higher than the body 

 below it, its rays extend beyond the membrane, which last reaches posteriorly as far as the base of the second 

 dorsal : the second dorsal fin commences midway between the snout and the base of the caudal, its rays are 

 about half as high as those of the first dorsal, and of equal height throughout. Pectoral as long as the head 

 posterior to the orbit : ventrals entirely united, half as long as the head, and not extending half way to the vent ; 

 anal commencing under the fourth ray of the second dorsal, has its posterior rays a little the longest and rather 

 above half the height of those of the second dorsal : caudal pointed, its lower rays shorter than the upper. 

 Scales — only distinct in a narrow band on the abdomen, along either side of the anal fin, some along the sides 

 below the second dorsal fin, and a few towards the head, elsewhere they look like rough points. Air-vessel — 

 small, but present. Colours — olive gray, with dull vertical bands on the body, six or eight of which are 

 continued to the lower half of the second dorsal fin. First dorsal purplish, covered with black spots, havino- 

 whitish edges, whilst the upper margin of the fin is yellowish : second dorsal with about five rows of oblono- 

 white spots, and some black ones having white edges along the first-half of its base. Upper margin of the 

 caudal with a white band and yellow spots between its black rays. 



Whether this species and B. Bussumieri are in reality distinct species may be open to question, they 

 commence to appear in Bombay, where however they are not so common as B. Boddaerti, but in Sind they have 

 completely superseded it. 



Habitat. — Bombay and Kurrachee, to 7|- inches in length. 



4. Boleophthalmus glaucus, Plate LXV, fig. 3. 



B. v, D. 5 | 27, P. 19, V. 1/5, A. 25, C. 13. 



Length of head '5 to 5|, of caudal 4|, height of body 8 to 9 in the total length. Eyes — prominent 

 (more so during life than is shown in the figure) , situated close together at the summit of the head, diameter 

 1/5 of length of head, li diameters from end of snout. Greatest width of head equals its length behind the 

 eyes, its height is a little less. Profile from eyes to snout rather abrupt. The maxilla reaches to below the 

 middle of the eyes. A few short tentacles along the lower edge of each ramus of the mandibles, none below the 

 symphysis. Teeth — 13 large, pointed, canine-like ones in front of the upper jaw, the outer of which on either side 

 is a little enlarged and recurved, laterally there are 13 more teeth as large as those in the mandibles. Twenty-five 

 sub-horizontal and pointed teeth in the lower jaw, all of about the same size : a pair of posterior canines above 

 the symphysis. Fins — first dorsal elevated, its height being from 1/5 to 1/6 in the total length, second dorsal 

 about 2/3 the height of the body, or half the length of the head, posteriorly it is not connected by membrane to 

 the base of the caudal. Pectoral equals half the length of the head. Ventrals united along their whole extent. 

 Caudal lanceolate. Scales — minute, but visible in the last half of the body. Colours— greenish, tinged with 

 violet along the abdomen, cloudy bands on head, a few widely scattered black spots on the cheeks and upper 

 fourth of body. Second dorsal with dark horizontal lines, most distinct posteriorly. Pectoral gray, with a 



