312 ACAXTHOPTERYGII. 



Greatest width of Lead equals its length behind the eyes, and its height equals half its length. Lower jaw the 

 longer. Cleft of mouth oblique, commencing anteriorly opposite the middle of the eyes, the maxilla reaching to 

 below the centre of the orbit. No spine on preopercle. Anterior nostril tubular. A small barbel is said to 

 exist on each side of the upper jaw. Teeth — several villiform rows in both jaws, an outer row of enlarged 

 conical ones in front of the premaxillaries, consisting of from eight to ten, two of which are large canines : in 

 the lower jaw from four to six conical canines anteriorly, whilst the inner row of the villiform ones is very 

 slightly the largest. Fins — dorsals of about the same height and equal to half of that of the body. Pectoral as 

 long as the head behind the eyes : ventral reaching a little above half way to the anal. Caudal rounded. 

 Scales — cycloid, extending in irregular rows over body and head, except at front of snout and lower jaw, about 

 70 rows in front of dorsal tin. The posterior half of caudal scaled. Colours — brownish, second dorsal with 

 several brown spots. A dark ocellus edged with light at the upper part of the base of the caudal fin. 



Habitat. — Estuaries and mouths of large rivers in lower Bengal and Burma, attaining at least 4| inches 

 in length. 



6. Eleotris porocephalus, Plate LXVII, fig. 1. 



Eleotris porocephala, Cuv. and Val. xii, p. 237; Cantor, Catal. p. 195 ; Bleeker, Amboina, p. 344. 



Eleotris porocephaloides, Bleeker, Sumatra, p. 511 ; Giinther, Catal. iii, p. 109. 



Eleotris Cantoris, Giinther, Catal. iii, p. 108. 



Ophiocara porocephala, Bleeker, Eleotriformes, 1874, p. 5. 



B. v, D. 6 | ¥ _Vo, P- 15, V. 1/5, A. i C. 15, L. 1. 36-37, L. tr. 12-13. 



Length of head 5h to 3|, of caudal 5 to 6, height of body 4| to 5| in the total length. Eyes — diameter 

 from 1/5 to 1/6 in length of head, 1J to If diameters from end of snout, and 2 to 2j diameters apart. Head 

 obtuse, flat, depressed. Greatest width of head equals its length excluding the snout, and its height equals its 

 length behind the eye. Lower jaw the longer, the maxilla reaches to rather behind the centre of the eye. 

 Anterior nostril tubular. Teeth — in villiform rows, the outer row in the lower jaw slightly the longest and 

 pointed. Fins — the two dorsals of about equal height or two-thirds that of the body, the last dorsal ray scarcely 

 reaches the base of the caudal fin. Pectoral equals the length of the head behind the middle of the eyes, the 

 ventral is rather shorter. Caudal rounded. Scales — ctenoid, extended over the head, except on front portion 

 'of snout, those on the upper surface of the head smaller than those on the body and from 25 to 30 rows anterior 

 to the base of the dorsal fin, there are about 12 rows between the eye and angle of the preopercle, seven or eight 

 across the opercle, and 13 to 14 between the anterior portions of the bases of the second dorsal and anal fins. 

 Colours — deeep blackish-brown, marbled with darker : second dorsal with three or four rows of spots : a dark 

 band along the anal. The body may have numerous light spots upon it and also on the second dorsal fin. 



Habitat. — Andamans, Burma, to the Malay Archipelago. The specimen figured (life-size) is from the 

 Andamans. 



7. Eleotris ophiocephalus, Plate LXVII, fig. 2. 

 Eleotris ophiocephalus, (Kuhl. and v. Hass.) Cuv. and Val. xii, p. 239 ; Bleeker, Blenn. en Gob. p. 22 ; 

 Cantor, Catal. p. 196 ; Giinther, Catal. iii, p. 107 ; Day, Proc. Zool. Soc. 1870, p. 694. 

 Eleotris margaritacea, Cuv. and Val. xii, p. 240. 

 Eleotris viridis, Bleeker, Madura, p. 22. 

 Ophiocara ophiocepihala, Bleeker, Eleotriformes, 1874, p. 15. 

 A-rig-dah and Mu-toolc-dah, Andam. 



B. v, D. 6 | g-V, P. 17, V. 1/5, A. \, C. 15, L. 1. 31-34, L. tr. 10-11, Case. pyl. 2. 



Length of head 3f to 4J, of caudal. 5^ to 6, height of body 4 to 5 in the total length. Eyes — diameter 

 1/5 to 1/6 of length of head, 1 to 1^ diameters from end of snout, and 2 to 3 apart. Head obtuse and depressed, 

 its upper surface flat, its greatest width equalling its length without the snout, and its height being a little less. 

 Lower jaw the longer, cleft oblique, commencing anteriorly opposite the middle of the eyes, the maxilla 

 reaches to below the front edge of the orbit. Anterior nostril tubular. Teeth — in numerous villiform rows in 

 both jaws, the outer being rather enlarged and pointed : palate edentulous. Fins — first dorsal spines rather 

 fine, and equalling about 1/2 the height of the body, last dorsal rays prolonged, reaching to nearly or quite the 

 base of the caudal fin. Pectoral as long' as the head excluding the snout, the ventral equally long and reaching 

 the vent. Caudal rounded. Scales — finely ctenoid, 15 rows in front of first dorsal fin and reaching to the snout, 

 also covering the cheeks and opercles : those on the top of the head as large as those on the body. Pyloric 

 appendages — two. Colours — olive brown, some irregular blotches along the sides, whilst three black bands 

 radiate from the eye : sometimes a light ocellus edged with dark at the upper half of the base of the pectoral 

 fin, or some dark markings : vertical fins with light margins : a darkish band along the second dorsal, anal, and 

 ventral fins : soft dorsal sometimes with two narrow darkish bands. 



Dr. Bleeker observes that yellow spots are very well marked on the second dorsal and anal fin in this 

 species of Ophiocara. I did not see such at the Andamans where I captured many, but was only there in 

 December and January, and season may affect their colours. 



Habitat. — Andamans, the coast of Africa, and Malay Archipelago, to at least 9J inches in length. 



