334 TELEOSTEI. ACANTHOPTERYGII. 



Eyes small, 1 diameter apart. Snout trilobed at its extremity. 

 Strong dentic ulation at angle of preopercle, and three to five teeth 

 along the lower border. Fins dorsal spines short, increasing in 

 length posteriorly, they commence over middle of pectoral. Sot't 

 dorsal and anal separated from caudal by a notch ; caudal rounded. 

 Second preanal spine longest and strongest. Scales 18 rows 

 between lateral line and commencement of dorsal rays. Colow 

 greenish olive along back, yellowish beneath, many yellowish-white 

 spots over sides. Posterior portion of the body often vertically 

 striped. Soft dorsal, pectoral, caudal, and anal yellow, .with 

 numerous black spots. 



Hob. Large rivers of India and localities near the sea. I have 

 taken this species in the Ganges near Hard war, also at Jubbulpore, 

 but have not seen it in the Coromaudel coast south of the Kistna. 

 It attains at least 7 inches in length. 







1159. (4.) Mastacembelus armatus. 



Macrognathus armatus, Lacep. H. N. Poiss. ii, p. 286. 

 Mastacembelus armatus, Day, Fish. India, p. 340, pi. Ixxiii, fig. 3 

 (see synon.). 



Vambat and Bahm, Marathi ; Bahm, Vahm, and Gro-age, Punj. 

 and Sind ; Kul-aral and Sha-ta-rah, Tarn. ; Mudi-bom-mi-day, or " Old 

 Rhynchobdetta? Tel.; Bahm, Bummi, and Guttti, Ooriah and Beng. ; 

 Nya-maway-doh-nga, Burm. ; " Thorny-backed eel " 



D. 32-39 j 74-90. P. 23. A. 3 | 75-88. 



Length of head from 6| in the young to 7| in the adult, height 

 of body 11 to 12 in the total length. Eyes one diameter apart. 

 The width of the body alters with age. Snout trilobed at its 

 anterior extremity. Angle of preopercle with two or three strong 

 denticulations. Fins dorsal spines commence over middle of 

 pectoral, the posterior longest. Vertical fins confluent. Scales 

 about 30 rows between lateral, line and base of first dorsal ray. 

 Colour usually rich brown, lighter on abdomen. In some a black- 

 ish band through the eye is continued in an undulating course 

 along upper half of side ; sometimes a row of black spots occurs 

 along base of soft dorsal, and short black bands over back under 

 dorsal spines. This is the common form in Calcutta, Assam, and 

 along the Himalayas. Pectoral usually spotted, dorsal and anal 

 usually banded or spotted. 



Nab. From Sind, throughout the fresh and brackish waters of the 

 plains and hills of India, Ceylon, and Burma to China j attaining 

 two feet or more in length. 



1160. (5.) Mastacembelus guentheri. 

 Mastacembelus guentheri, Day, Fish. Malabar, p. 154, pi. xi, and 



Fish. India p. 341, pi. Ixxiii, fig. 2 (see synon.) 



Mastacembelus malabaricus, Jerdon, Mad. Jour. L. Sc. xv, 1848, 



