306 TELEOSTEI. ACANTHOPTERYGUI. 



dorsal and anal nearly double height of body; pectoral about |, 

 and caudal more than of total length. Colour orange, with 

 black spots, and a few smaller white ones sparsely scattered 

 amongst them. Dorsal and anal with round brown spots between 

 their rays, also white points on the first of these fins ; anal tinged 

 with blackish, especially towards its margin ; three brown or black 

 bands across the pectoral, and five on the caudal ; ventrals grey. 

 Hub. Tranquebar, growing to 6 inches in length. 



1114. (6.) Callionynms opercularis. 



Callionymus opercularis, Cuv. $ Vol. H. N. Poiss. xii, p. 305 ; Day, 

 Fish. India, p. 323 (see synon.). 



B. v. D. 4 | 9. P. 19. V. 1/5. A. 9. C. 11. 



Length of head 3| to 4, of caudal fin 5 to 5|, height of body 6 in 

 the total length. Eyes diameter 5 in length of head, 1 to 1| 

 diam. apart and from end of snout. Head wide and flat ; two 

 stellated sets of smooth ridges on the occiput. Preopercular spine 

 strong, slightly curved, as long as the eye, and with six teeth in- 

 ternally, none pointing forwards at its base. Gill-opening oval, 

 covered by produced extremity of opercle. Teeth pointed, in 

 several rows, the largest innermost. Fins dorsal fin not produced, 

 half as high as body, the second a little higher. Lateral line 

 single, those on the two sides meeting over the free portion of the 

 tail. Colour brownish anteriorly, dotted with points of a slightly 

 darker colour. First dorsal brown, rays of second and those on 

 upper border of pectoral and caudal fins with brown points on a 

 pale ground-colour. Lower surface of body and anal whitish or 

 pale grey. Ventrals blackish. 



Hab. Coromandel coast of India, attaining at least 4 inches in 

 length ; said to be very common in the Arian-coupan river at Pondi- 

 cherry from November to January, but very rare during remainder 

 of year. I have taken it both at'Pondicherry and Madras. 



Family XXX. BLENNIIim 



Pseudobranchitc present. Gill-openings varying. Body elongate, 

 more or less cylindrical. Teeth fixed in the jaws, or merely im- 

 planted in the gums. One, two, or three dorsal fins, occupying 

 nearly the entire length of the back ; in some the whole fin is com- 

 posed of spines, whilst in others none are perceptible. Ventrals, 

 when present, jugular (except in Pseudoblennius) ; they are some- 

 times rudimentary. Scales, when present, generally small. Air- 

 bladder as a rule absent. Pyloric appendages absent. 



Geographical Distribution. The fishes forming this family are 

 iound along the shores of most regions, some extend their range 

 into brackish or even, it is said, into fresh water. 



