328 



On the Fresh Water 



[No. 85, 



*Pelecus haloohee. (Sykes.) 

 A chela the size of a minnow ; back straight ; body elongated ; 

 dorsal fin situated far back, and having 8 rays, 14 in the anal, &c. 

 length 3 inches. Common in all the rivers. Similar to the last. 



^Pelecus Orveni. (Sykes.) 

 *' A chela with straight back, elongated and vertically compressed 

 body; dorsal fin situated far back, with 11 rays, and 19 in the anal 

 fins, with minute scales, 5 to 7 inches long. In most of the rivers." 

 Is this P. cultellus ? 



Gen. Opsarius. McLell. 



Mouth widely cleft ; dorsal moderate, usually placed behind the 

 middle; anal generally longer than the dorsal ; lower margin of body 

 more arched than the upper ; usually marked with streaks or spots. 



Opsarius hendelisis. (Bach.) 



No cirri ; head is three times and two-thirds in the total length 

 of body; height 3 times ; dorsal D. 10, A. 16; color green above, 

 silvery beneath with 10 to 12 vertical blue streaks on the sides of 

 the body ; in old subjects the cheeks and abdomen become fine red ; 

 dorsal fin blackish, with a border of crimson, edged with white; anal 

 the same, P. and V. with a reddish tinge; caudal black with a white 

 margin; 40 scales along the body in 10 rows; up to 6 inches long. 

 Found in the Cavery and all its tributaries; most abundant towards 

 their sources in rapid streams. Takes fly very readily. In small 

 specimens the stripes are green, and the dorsal (and sometimes the 

 anal) are without any red. It is the agushitti of the Seringapatam 

 fishermen. 



^Opsarius gatensis. (Val.) 



Body compressed, rather broad, abdomen much arched, height 

 one quarter of total length, head 4 times and f in the same ; eye 

 large, mouth much cleft ; dorsal not very much thrown back, anal 

 long — D. 10, A. 17 — 38 scales along the sides ; lateral line bent ; 

 dark above, silvery beneath ; sides traversed by 9 small vertical 

 bands — 3 inches long. From the streams of the western ghauts. 



This fish is evidently an opsarius, and I cannot help thinking may 

 be identical with 0. hendelisis. The chief points of difference are the 

 larger head of my species, 2 scales more along the side, and one ray 



