1889.] 



Species of Fishes from the Bay of Bengal. 



305 



of bone, formed apparently by an expansion of the premaxillaries, cover- 

 ed with teeth. I do not think this fish can be placed in any hitherto 

 established genus ; and I propose for it the generic name Bathyniyrus, 

 with the following diagnosis (after Dr. Giiuther's scheme) : — 



Branchial openings in the pharynx are wide slits. Tail longer than 

 the trunk. Heart situated immediately behind the gills. Muscular and 

 osseous systems well-developed. Gill-openings separated by an inter- 

 Sjaace. Nostrils labial. Tongue not entirely free. End of the tail sur- 

 rounded by the fin. Pectorals well-developed. Dorsal fin commencing 

 immediately behind the gill-opening. Teeth in the jaws uniserial. 

 Inter-maxillary forming the end of the snout. 



Bathtmyros echinorhtnchds, gen. et sp. n., PL XXTI, Fig. 6. 



Body cylindrical anteriorly, compressed posteriorly. Tail longer 

 than the body by one-half. Head, excluding the branchiostegal region, 

 one-seventh of the total : cylindrical, tapering slightly : the muciferous 

 cavities well-developed. The snout projects beyond the lower jaw ; it 

 is as long as the eye, which is one-fifth of the head as above limited ; 

 and its tip is formed by a massive upward and lateral expansion, stud- 

 ded with small carved teeth, of the premaxillaries. The nostrils are in 

 contact with the margin of the upper lip ; the anterior being tubular and 

 situated near the end of the snout, the posterior being valved and placed 

 in front of the lower border of the eye. The gape of the mouth extends 

 a little behind the vertical from the posterior border of the orbit. There 

 is a single series of close-set, uniform, small sharp teeth in the maxilte 

 and in the mandibles : a few similar teeth on the vomer at its junction 

 ■with the premaxillaries, and a cluster of sharp down-curved teeth on the 

 extra-oral rostral expansion of the premaxillaries. The tongue is long 

 and attached up to its tip by an extensible freuum. The gill-openings 

 extend obliquely from the upper edge of the base of the pectoral almost 

 to the middle line of the abdomen, where they are separated by a narrow 

 interspace. The gill-laminas are long, coarse, and cylindrical. The 

 branchiostegal region is one-third the length of the head. There is 

 an oblique bony stay aci-oss the operculum. The integnment is scalo- 

 less. The pectorals are longer than the greatest body height. The 

 dorsal begins above the origin of the pectorals. The caudal is well- 

 developed, confluent with the vertical flus, and with a truncated tip. 

 Colours in life, transparent grey with numerous minute specks of black. 



Total length of the single specimen lOl inches. 



Locality : IG miles east of the mouth of the Devi river in the Maha- 

 naddi delta in 68 fathoms. 



I have to record my deep obligations to Professor Wood-Mason for 

 the advice and help which he has so kindly given me iu all my work. 



