806 
FISHES OF INDIA. 
Aktsis pictus. 
Giintlier, Ann. and Mag. N. H. (5) xi, p. 1883, p. 138. 
D. i/0, P. 1/7, Y. 6, A. 9. 
Head broader than deep. Eyes — wide apart, and twice as distant from the gill-opening 
as from tbe end of tlie snont. The distance of the anterior nostrils apart equals about 
half tbe length of tbe snout, while tbe interspace between tbe anterior and posterior 
nostrils equals half that present between tbe front pair. Barbels — nasal half as long as 
tbe head, tbe maxillary reaching to the origin of tbe dorsal fin, tbe outer mandibular ones 
to tbe axil of tbe pectoral, while the inner ones are shorter. Fins — dorsal commences 
midway between the snout and the adipose fin, its spine comparatively strong. Anal 
arises nearer the root of the caudal than that of tbe pectoral. Caudal emarginate ; 
pectoral extending a little beyond the origin of tbe dorsal, its spine strong and entire : 
yentrals reaching tbe vent. Colours — bead grayish with minute black spots, body 
anteriorly black which is contracted into an irregular band that runs along the middle of 
the posterior part of the body and tail. Dorsal fin with a black band covering all but its 
front corner and upper edge : caudal and pectoral banded. 
HahitaL — Tenasserim to 45 millim long. 
Page 475. Olyra longicauda. Add synonym. 
Olyra elongata, Gunther, Annals and Mag. Nat. Hist. p. 
Page 503. Add Family — Galaxidj}. 
Body more or less elongated: abdomen rounded. Pseudobranchise absent. Edge of upper jaw mainly 
formed by the premaxillaries. Dorsal fin opposite to the anal, no adipose fin. Air-bladder large and simple. 
Pyloric appendages few. The ova pass into the abdominal cavity before exclusion. 
Genus I. — Galaxias, Cuvier. 
Mesites, Jenyns. 
Definition as in family. Conical teeth in both jaivs, vomer and ^palatine bones, and large 
ones on the tongue. 
Habitat. — Southern portion of South America, Australia, New Zealand, and observed to 
live in fresh waters : this Indian form was from the littoral district. 
Galaxias indicus. 
B. ix, D. 13, P. 10, Y. 8, A. 18, C. 15. 
Length of head 8f, of caudal fin 8|-, height of body II in the total length. Fyes — 
3|- diameters in the length of the head and li from the end of the snout. Body elongated 
and flattened, with a rounded abdomen. Teeth — fine conical ones in the lower jaw, vomer 
and palatine bones, and some lai’ger ones on the tongue. Fins — ventral well developed 
and arising midway between the hind edge of the eye and the posterior extremity of the 
base of the anal fin. Dorsal fin commences opposite the origin of the anal, and in about 
the commencement of the last third of the total length it is highest in front, and the 
extent of free portion of the tail behind it equals about Ig in the length of its base. 
Caudal forked. 
Habitat. — Littoral districts of Bengal and Madras, attaining about 2 inches in length. 
Among the drawings of the late Sir Walter Elliot is one of a small fish, a little over 
1 inch in length, and a magnified copy nearly four times that size. It was taken at 
Waltair, April 8th, 1853. Its form is deeper than the foregoing, while it has D. 17, 
A. 24. No ventral fins are shown, and the vent is placed in the centre of the length of 
the body. Dorsal fin commences slightly in advance of the anal and in the commencement 
of last third of the total length : caudal forked. Colours — a row of black spots along the 
edge of the abdomen. Sufficient details are not given to render one able to decide on the 
position it should hold. In the absence of ventral fins, which may have been overlooked, 
it somewhat approaches the Leuco^psarion Petersii of Hilgendorf. 
