Fish of the Tai-Hu. 
517 
anal spine 2| to 3I ; second anal ray 2^ to 2|; pectoral 2i ; ventral 2-^(y to 2\. 
Dark streak from snout tip to eye and back along opercle edge above, then sloping 
up towards base of spinous dorsal. Blackish blotches in dorsals, anals and caudal, 
paired fins immaculate. Two examples, 153 to 207 mm. 
OPHICEPHALIDAE. 
Ophicephalus pekinensis Basilewsky. 
Head 2f to 3; depth 5 to 5| ; D. 48 or 49; A. 33; scales 63 or 64 in lateral 
line to caudal base and 4 more in latter ; q or 10 scales above lateral line, 9 or 10 
below ; 30 to 32 predorsal scales ; snout 5| to 5f in head measured from snout 
tip ; eye 7 ; maxillary 2f to 2| ; interorbital 5| to 5^. Head width 2-^^ to 2| in 
total head length. Median scales on top of head scarcely larger than those on 
occiput or sides of head. Least depth of caudal peduncle 3^^ to 3§ in head; tenth 
dorsal ray 4yo to 4I ; tenth anal ray 3I to 3I; caudal if; pectoral 2\; ventral 3 to 
3^. Two examples, 180 to 182 mm. 
Channa fasciata Steindachner. 
Head 3:^ ; depth 5^ ; D. 47 ; A. 28 ; scales 53 in lateral line to caudal base and 
3 more on latter ; 7 scales above lateral line and 8 below ; 17 predorsal scales ; snout 
4I in head from upper jaw tip; eye 6|; maxillary 2| ; interorbital 3^. Head 
width if in its total length. Snout broadly convex, length half its width. Maxil- 
lary extends slightly beyond eye ; expansion about if in eye. Lower jaw very 
slightly projects. Rather narrow bands of fine teeth iu jaws ; same large broad short 
teeth on palatines and few small ones across vomer. Interorbital broad and 
slightly convex. Gill-rakers as iii and vi short low broad tubercles. Gill-filaments 
short, though much higher than tuberculate rakers or 2 in eye. vScales with 18 
basal radiating striae, circuli fine ; scales in top of head medianly much larger than 
on occiput and cheeks. Dorsal begins slightly behind base of pectoral ; forty - 
sixth ray 2| in head. Anal origin about midway between front eye edge and caudal 
base; twenty-seventh ray 3^ in head. Least depth of caudal peduncle 2f in head,; 
caudal fin i| ; pectoral if. 
Brown, paler to whitish on under surface of head and belly. Seven or eight 
blackish bars on back and down on sides, above slightly inclined forward. Black 
ocellus, with narrow pale border at base of upper caudal lobe on caudal peduncle. 
Sides of head and trunk with scattered bright pale spots, most distinct on lower 
half of body. Scattered pale spots on dorsal basally, otherwise fin brownish like other 
fins. Two dark streaks longitudinally in postocular, from hind edge of eye. Both 
dorsal and anal darker terminally than basally. One example, 133 mm. 
ANABANTIDAE. 
Polyacanthus opercularis (Linne). 
Head 3 ; depth 2% to 2f ; D. XIV to XVII, 6 ; A. XVI to XXI, 11 ; scales 28 
trom shoulder to caudal ba.se medianly ; 14 scales transversely between dorsal anal 
