Body elongate, rather compressed. Head rather large. Pre- 
maxillaries form tapering plate, truncate in front. Mandible extended 
as beak, without teeth except space opposite premaxillaries. Beak 
bordered each side by fold of skin, projects horizontally and not al¬ 
ways visible in preserved specimens. Small pointed teeth in both jaws. 
Gill rakers short. Third upper pharyngeals ankylosed. Scales moderate, 
rather deciduous. Lateral line low, indistinct. Dorsal shorter than 
anal, begins behind anal origin, -^nal without enlarged rays, though 
male sometimes front part of anal enveloped by swollen fold of skin, 
apparently outgrowth of genital papilla. Caudal rounded. Pectoral high, 
rather far behind gill opening. Ventral small, premedian, median, or 
postmedian. 
Small, fresh water half beaks, distributed in India, Siam, 
Malaya, East Indies, and Philippines, 
The following doubtful; 
l^em ogenys bi^o hynotopteri^s (Bleeker). 
Herairamphus brachynotopterus BLEEKER, Verh, Batav, Gennotsch. 
(Nal. Ich, Bengal), vol. 25, p. 29 (73) 146,’,1853 (type 
locality; Calcutta). 
Hamiramphus brachijnotopterus BLEEKER, Verh. Batav. Genootsch. 
< 
(Hal. Ich. Bengal), vol, 25, p, 146, 1853 (Hooghly River, 
Calcutta, India), 
Hemirhamphus brachynotopterus GtIKTHER, Cat. Fish. Brit, Mus., 
vol, 6, p. 275, 1866 (copied)l -- DAY, Fishes of India, pt, 
3, p. 517, 1877 (copied); Fauna British India, Fishes, vol. 
1, p. 428, 1889 (copied). 
XI X 
