1848.] 



Fishes of Southern India. 



148 



blackish ; anal green with orange dots and naargined with black ; 

 some black spots on the sides of the body. This pretty little fish is 

 most abundant throughout the fresh waters of the western coast, 

 being found in rivers, tanks, ditches, and pools. It is very numerous 

 in the little streams that run through the low paddy grounds in Ma- 

 labar, which abound with water lilies and many other aquatic plants. 

 At the season of spawning the fish (both male and female I believe, 

 though I am not quite certain of this) assumes a brighter livery than 

 at other times ; the yellow of its lower surface deepens, and the one 

 dark spot on its side is accompanied by several others, so much so as 

 to give it a marbled appearance, which however is somewhat transient. 

 The eggs are not very numerous, and are deposited in the mud at the 

 bottom of the stream, and, when hatched, both parents guard their 

 young for many days, vigorously attacking any large fish that pass 

 near them. I have had an opportunity of observing this, as well 

 among fish in confinement as in the streams. When kept along with 

 other species it is very pugnacious, attacking all indiscriminately. It 

 is readily taken with worm on a small hook. 



Fam. Mugilidce — Mullets. 



Though none of the mullets can be called fresh water fish, yet 

 gorae of them ascend rivers to a considerable height, and after the 

 monsoon are often to be found in the streams that intersect the paddy 

 fields when communicating with a river, "^and even in the inundated 

 paddy fields, where, as the waters evaporate and the bunds are 

 closed, hundreds, chiefly of small size, are caught every year. 



Fam. Spirobeanchid^. Swainson-. 

 Pharyngiens Lahyrinthi formes of Cuvier. 



Belly very short ; vent, near the pectoral part of the upper pharyn- 

 geals, laminated and capable of retaining water. Dorsal fin single, long. 



This is a very peculiar order of fishes and very characteristic of 

 India ; several of the species being widely spread over the whole pe- 

 ninsula; and the most marked genus of the family, (viz. : Ophicephalus) 

 abounds in nearly allied species, as is usually the case in all genera 

 that are peculiarly characteristic of any country. From the confor- 

 mation of these fishes they are enabled to live long out of water, and 

 some of them bury themselves in the mud, when the waters of the 

 tanks or ditches are dried up ; and are enabled to live for some time 



