362 TELEOSTEI. ACANTHOPTERTGII. 



D. 47-52. P. 16. A. 34-36. C. 19. L. 1. 60-65. L. tr. 5-6/13. 

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

 7 g in the total length. Eyes diameter 7 to 7| in length of head, 

 1| to 2 diam. from end of snout, and 2 apart. Teeth amongst 

 the small ones are a few, widely separated and conical, in an inner 

 row in the lower jaw, two or three large teeth on vomer, and a 

 few on the palatines. Fins dorsal commences above posterior 

 extremity of opercle and is almost f as high as body. Ventral f- 

 of length of pectoral. Caudal rounded. Scales 15 rows between 

 snout and base of dorsal fin, 9 rows between eye and angle of 

 preopercle ; larger in anterior part of body than in posterior. 



Fig. 118. Ophiocephalus barca. 



Colour dark violet superiorly, becoming dull white shot with 

 purple beneath ; the whole back and sides covered with large black 

 blotches, also some on dorsal, caudal, and anal fins, each of which 

 has a red edge ; pectorals reddish, with numerous black spots. 



Hab. Large rivers of the Bengal Presidency, North- Western 

 Provinces, and Assam ; attaining three feet in length. 



1202. (5.) Ophiocephalus micropeltes. 



Ophiocephalusmicropeltes (Kuhlfyv. Hass.), Cuv. $ Vol. H. N. Poiss. 

 vii, p. 427 ; Day, Fish. India, p. 365, pi. Ixxvii, fig. 4 (see synon.). 



D. 43-46. A. 27-30. L. 1. 95-110. L. tr. 7-8/13-12. Vert. 53. 

 Length of head 3| to 3|, of caudal fin 6| to 7^, height of body 6 

 to 6| in the total length. Eyes diameter 8| in length of head (7 in 

 the young), 2 to 3 diam. from end of snout, 2 to 2^ apart. Teeth 

 a widely separated conical row in lower jaw, vomer, and palatines. 

 Fins dorsal commences above last fourth of opercles, and is of 

 equal height to the anal or | height of body. Ventral about half 

 as long as pectoral. Caudal fan-shaped. Scales 22 rows between 

 snout and base of dorsal fin, 16 or 17 between eye and angle of 

 preopercle. Lateral line descends gently to a little behind end of 

 pectoral, then becomes straight. Colour varies considerably. In 

 the adult greyish brown, with the head, back, and sides sprinkled 

 with small brown spots; dorsal fin grey, with three or four 

 larrow dark bands and a white outer edge ; anal grey, with a 

 white margin; caudal grey, spotted with black, and having a 

 narrow white outer edge. In the young, and up to 1 2, 14, or even 



