228 TELEOSTEI. ACANTHOPTERYGII. 



at its angle. Fins dorsal spines short, third the longest, and 

 about halt' as high as first ray, the first 11 to 15 rays unbranched ; 

 end of fin rather pointed. Caudal rounded. Scales finely ctenoid. 

 Colour dull olive, upper half of soft dorsal with numerous yellow 

 spots, the outer half of anal with brown ones. Caudal yellow in 

 its last half, its base with brown spots between the rays. 



Hob. Andaman Islands, where this species is not rare, to perhaps 

 the Philippines. 



Family XXIV. BATRACHID^. 



Pediculati, pt., Cuv. 



Branchiostegals six ; pseudobranchiae present. Body low and more 

 or less elongate ; head large ; the muciferous system well developed. 

 Gills three. The gill-openings narrow, in the form of a slit before 

 the pectoral fin. Opercles armed. Teeth conical and of moderate 

 size or small. First dorsal with few spines ; the second and the 

 anal with many rays ; ventral with two rays, jugular. Scales, when 

 present, small. Air-bladder present. 



Geographical Distribution. Coasts of tropical and temperate 

 regions. 



These carnivorous fishes apparently delight in mud and dirty 

 water ; they frequent the shores, ascending tidal rivers and estuaries. 

 At Pinang " the natives attribute poisonous qualities to these fishes, 

 and reject them even as manure " (Cantor, Catal. p. 206). They are, 

 however, eaten at Bombay by the poorer classes. Dr. Giinther 

 has described a species of ThatassopTiryne (belonging to this family) 

 from the Pacific coast of Panama (P. Z. S. 1864, p. 155), possessing 

 " as perfect a poison-organ as that of the venomous serpents. Each 

 operculum terminates in a long spine similar to the two dorsal 

 spines : each spine is perforated at the extremity and at the base, 

 and has a canal in its interior. The canal leads to a sac at the 

 base of each spine, in which a considerable quantity of the poisonous 

 substance was found ; on the slightest pressure it flowed freely 

 from the opening of the spine." (Zool. Eecord, 1864, p. 155.) 



1. Genus BATRACHUS, Bl. Schn. 



Body anteriorly somewhat cylindrical, and posteriorly com- 

 pressed; head broad, depressed. Gill-openings narrow. Eyes 

 lateral. Gape of mouth wide. Gill-covers with several spines. 

 Teeth on jaw, vomer, and palate. No distinct canines. First 

 dorsal with three strong spines. Scales, if present, very minute. 

 Air-bladder divided into two lateral parts. Pyloric appendages 

 absent. Vertebra; 12/17-27. 



Geographical Distribution. That of the family. 



Cantor observed that these fishes live some 'period after removal 

 from the water. 



