THE PISHES OF MALABAR. 
147 
Scales—Cover body, opercles, and the summit of the head. Between the orbits and the 
posterior margin of the preopercles is a large irregularly quadrangular scale, with a semicircular 
one posterior to it; and anteriorly from its outer third a very irregularly shaped scale enlarging 
exteriorly; the whole of the scales on the head are of very irregular shapes, being lineated with 
roughened tubercular lines, and having numerous glandular openings. 
Lateral line—In a groove along each side, it first passes along about sixteen rows, then bends 
downwards along two rows, and from thence passes straight to the centre of the caudal, but in 
this deflection the scales alter so much that the second portion of the lateral line is only one scale 
below where the upper portion would have been had its course been unchanged. The rows how¬ 
ever are irregular, and not the same in all the specimens examined. 
Colours—These vary with the waters in which it is captured. Back greenish grey, passing 
downwards in five or six digitations below the lateral line. Abdomen (when from clear and rather 
shallow streams) of a bright orange, with some dusky markings at the bases of the scales. On the 
posterior third of the body, of the dorsal and anal fins, and on the whole of the caudal are some 
fine pearly white spots. Dorsal, caudal, anal and pectoral grey : ventral orange. 
In some specimens, especially in the young, the dorsal fin is barred, and there is an ocellus at 
its extremity: the same also sometimes exists on the root of the caudal. In the very young an 
orange stripe runs from the eye to the caudal fin, whilst the dorsal fin has pale stripes directed 
backwards. 
This is considered the best of the genus for the table, because as it resides in streams it rarely 
has the muddy flavour of the O. striatus . N 
It grows to about two feet in length. 
Habitat—Rivers of India, Ceylon and China. 
Opiiiocephalus diplogramme, Plate X. 
Ophiocephalus diplogramme, Day, Proc. Zool. Soc. 1865, p. 36. 
B. v. D. 43. P. 15. V. 6. A. 27. C. 15. L. 1. 84. L. tr. 
Length of head about f, of pectoral T y, of base of dorsal of base of anal f, of base of 
caudal f of total length. Height of body of head j- 1 ^, of dorsal y 1 ^, of ventral /y, of anal y (J of 
total length. 
Eyes—Diameter y 2 y of length of head, 1 diameter from end of snout, nearly 1 4 diameters apart. 
Body anteriorly subcylindrical, head depressed above, and laterally : orbit close to profile. 
Cleft of mouth wide, the maxilla extends to below the posterior third of orbit : lower jaw the 
longest. Thirteen rows of scales between orbit and angle of preopercle. Interorbital space flat, 
covered with six rows of irregularly rounded scales, having raised margins. Nostrils rather wide 
apart, the superior the largest. A spinous process on either side of the occipital space. The 
labyrinthiform cavity above the gills large. 
Teeth—Several rows of sharp villiform teeth in lower jaw, with some larger ones internal to 
them. Some bands of sharp teeth in upper jaw, but without larger ones. The same on vomer 
and palate, interspersed posteriorly with larger ones. 
Colours—Back grey, sides scarlet, abdomen white. A black band passes through the eye 
direct to the upper half of caudal, a second from the angle of the mouth to the lower half of 
caudal. Dorsal grey. Caudal scarlet, with two black horizontal stripes. Ventral and anal yellow¬ 
ish, with dark grey bases. Pectoral yellowish. 
u 2 
