144 



071 the Fresh Water 



[No. 34, 



in a torpid state, till a fresh supply of water calls them into renewed 

 existence. 



Gen. ^nabas. Cuvier. 

 Exterior edge of operculum strongly serrated; and armed with 

 spines ; pre-opercule smooth ; spines of the dorsal and anal numerous ; 

 scales on head and body strong. Teeth minute, with a few larger 

 in front, especially beneath, and some in front of vomer, on the vomer, 

 and on the pharyngeals, but none on the palatines; lateral line inter- 

 rupted, a few small scales on base of the dorsal, caudal, and anal fins, 



Anabas scandpMS. (Dald.) 



^nthias testiidineus, Bloch ; Amphiprion scansor, Schneider ; 

 Coins cobojius, Ham. Buch.; GoraTca, Teloogoo; Panni-eyri, Tamul. 



Very variable in color, usually greenish, marbled or speckled with 

 darker, occasionally quite black, fins reddish usually, and in the young | 

 spotted. D. \^ A. fS 



This species, the only one of its genus, is found not only all over 

 India proper, but in Burmah, Malacca, Java, Celebes, and other 

 eastern isles. It has attained some celebrity from the fact of its being 

 occasionally found on palm trees growing close to the water's edge. 

 Lieutenant Daldorf mentions that he himself took one from a cleft 

 in the bark of a palmira palm, five feet above the tank. The natives 

 of the Carnatic invariably assert that it is a common occurrence to 

 find them in such situations, and I think there is no reason to doubt ' 

 that it often takes place. I may here remark that the Tamil name, ; 

 Panneieri, means climber of palmira trees, not of trees in general. 

 I have kept small ones in a vase of water. They, in general, are 

 very sluggish, but every now and then rose slowly to near the sur- 

 face of the water, then made a dash to the top, and down to the bot- 

 tom again with all speed. Some individuals (young ones) had the 

 tail and soft part of the dorsal fin much lengthened, thus approximat- 

 ing some of the species of Macropodus, but the prolongation does 

 not appear to be persistent. This fish abounds in all the ditches-, 

 pools, and tanks throughout Southern India, but is not in general 

 found in the rivers. I have not seen it longer than 6 inches, usually 

 less. 



Gen. Colisa. Cuvier. i' 

 Dorsal and anal fins long ; base covered with scales ; ventral con- 1 

 sisting of a long ray reaching to the end of the tail which is rounded* 



