198 
THE FISHES OF MALABAR. 
Sub-Pam. SACCOBRANCHIFORMES, BleeTcer. 
Genus SACCOBRANCHUS, Cuv. and Val 
Heteropneustes, Midler. 
Branehiostegals, from six to eight. Eyes small. Opercular bones articulated together, moveable. Upper 
and lateral part of head osseous, or covered by a very thin shin. Cleft of mouth transverse, moderate, anterior. 
Gill cavity with an accessory posterior sac, extending backwards between the muscles on either side of the 
vertebral column, to beneath the dorsal fin. Cirri eight, two nasal, two maxillary and four mandibular. 
One dorsal, short, and composed of few rays : no adipose fin. Pectoral spine moderately strong. Ventral 
of six rays, situated behind or below the dorsal. Jaws with bands of villiform teeth, disposed on the 
vomer in two oblong widely separated patches. 
Saccobranchus SINGIO. 
Silurus singio, Ham. Buck. pp. 147, 347, pi. 37, f. 46. 
Saccobranchus singio, Cuv. & Val. xv. p. 400, pi. 448 ; Gunther , Catal. v. p. 30. 
Saccobranchus fossilis, Jerdon , Madras Journal, xv. p. 342. 
Kahree meen, Mai. 
B. vi-vii. D. 7. P. 1. V. 6. A. 68-72. C. 15. 
Length of head of pectoral A, of caudal of base of dorsal about A> of base of anal f 
of total length. Height of head A, of body ’ , of dorsal Aj °f ventral A> °f ana l A of total 
length. 
Eyes—In the adult are situated on the external margin of the head, and directed upwards and 
outwards. Diameter ^ of length of head, from If to 2 diameters from end of snout, and rather 
more than 3 diameters apart. In immature specimens the eyes are directed more laterally, and are 
proportionately larger. 
Body long and compressed. Head broad and strongly depressed, its width being equal to 
the height of the body. A slight rise occurs from the snout towards the occiput. 
Mouth anterior, with wide transverse nearly semicircular gape, but narrow cleft; its lips fleshy, 
and surrounded by four pairs of cirri. Maxillary cirri with fleshy bases ; they extend to the termi¬ 
nation of the pectoral fin, or sometimes slightly beyond it: nasal cirri small, extending to opposite 
the posterior third of the pectoral: the two pahs of mandibular cirri are of equal size, the external 
reaching to the posterior third of the pectoral, whilst the internal are slightly shorter; but it must 
be remarked, that these cirri vary irregularly in different specimens; in one ten inches in length 
the maxillary pah reach the commencement of the anal fin, and the remainder are comparatively 
produced to what is observable in the adult. On the summit of the head, which is rugose, osseous, 
or but slightly covered with skin, there is, between and rather behind the orbits, a smooth lanceo¬ 
late depression, dhected forwards, broader and shorter in the adult than in the immature. In the 
central line, and on the posterior extremity of the cranium, there is another smooth oval depression, 
about the size of the orbit in the adult, but larger in the immature. Nostrils in front and rather 
internal to the orbit, the anterior one tubular, the posterior oblong, and midway between the orbit 
and jaws. 
Teeth—-In crowded villiform bands in each jaw, and a semicircle of the same character on the 
vomer and palate. Tongue smooth. 
Fins—Dorsal small, rounded, and rather expanded above, situated over the ventral and oppo¬ 
site the posterior extremity of the pectoral; it has a strong spine having a slightly convex external 
