332 TELEOSTEI. ACANTHOPTEBYGII. 



Indian, Burmese, and Sind rivers, extending to Borneo and the 

 Moluccas ; absent from Malabar ; attaining about 15 inches in length. 

 This fish conceals itself in the mud, and becomes drowned in water 

 if unable to reach the surface, as it apparently requires to respire 

 air directly. 



2. Genus MASTACEMBELUS, Cuv. & Val. 



Branchiostegals six. Cleft of mouth narrow; a long fleshy 

 appendage to the snout, which is not transversely striated beneath. 

 Preopercle generally spiny at its angle ; a preorbital spine. Teeth 

 in jaws minute. Scales small, cycloid. Lateral line present. Air- 

 bladder elongated. 



Geographical Distribution. That of the family. The existence of 

 species of this genus in "West Africa is very interesting, as similar 

 cases are observed in other divisions of the animal kingdom. 



Syno^tsis of Indian 



A. Vertical fins distinct from the caudal. 

 D. 33-34 | 81-94. Uniform brown, or 



covered with large yellow blotches . . 1. M. unicolor. p. 332. 

 D. 28-29 | 50-52. Yellow with vertical 



blue stripes 2. M. zebrinus, p. 3.33. 



D. 24-26 | 30-42. Sides spotted with 



yellowish white ; more or less banded. 3. M. pancalus, p. 333. 



B. Vertical fins confluent with the caudal. 

 30 scales between lateral line and base 



of first dorsal ray 4. M. armatus, p. 334. 



15 scales between lateral line and base 

 of first dorsal ray 5. M. guentheri, p. 334. 



1156. (1.) Mastacembelus unicolor. 



Mastacembelus unicolor (Kuhl $ v. Hass.), Cuv. $ Val H N 

 Pom. viii, p. 453; Day, Fish. India, p. 339, pi. Ixxii, fig. 2 (see 

 synon.). 



D. 33-34 | 81-94. P. 27. A. 3 1 75-98. C. 25. 

 Length of head 5|, height of body 10| in the total length. Eyes 

 1 diameter apart. Snout with two small tentacles near its 

 extremity. Three strong denticulations at angle of the preopercle. 

 ^ns dorsal spines short, increasing in length posteriorly, they 

 commence over middle of pectoral. Second dorsal and anal divided 

 trom the caudal by a deep notch ; caudal rounded. Second pre- 

 anal spine the longest and strongest. Colour brownish above, 

 lighter beneath ; three or four rows of oblong, rounded, or irregu- 

 larly shaped yellow spots or blotches along the sides ; vertical fins 

 with a black yellow-margined outer edge. Pectorals said to have 



