328 
ACTIKOPTEEY&II. 
Genus RITA, Sleeker. 
[Verhand. JN^atuurk. Ver. Nederl. Ind. vol. iv. 1858, p. 60.] 
Closely resembling Chrysichthys and Macrones, but teeth on 
palate granular or molariform. Posterior border of supraoccipital 
plate notched to receive the basal bone of the dorsal spine. 
Existing in the freshwaters of the East Indies, and probably 
represented in the Pliocene of India by the following species, of 
which there are no remains in the Collection :—■ 
Rita grandiscutata^ R. Lydekker, Palaeont. Indica, ser. x. vol. iii. 
(1886), p. 251, pi. xxxvii. fig. 3.—Siwalik Eormation; 
Punjab. [Very large basal bone of dorsal spine ; Indian 
Museum, Calcutta.] 
Genus AMIURUS, Pafinesque. 
[Ichthyol. Ohioensis, 1820, p. 65 {Ameiurus).'] 
Head depressed and covered with soft skin; teeth minute, con¬ 
fined to the premaxilla and dentary. Pectoral fins with robust 
spine, serrated on the posterior border; pelvic fins with eight rays, 
behind the dorsal fin, which is far forwards and comprises one robust 
spine and six divided rays ; adipose dorsal short or of moderate 
length; anal fin of variable extent; caudal fin forked or truncated. 
Skin naked. 
A North-American and Chinese genus. 
Detached vertebrae have been provisionally assigned to this genus 
under the following names:— 
Amiurus cancellatus, E. D. Cope, Contrib. Canadian Palaeont. 
(Geol. Surv. Canada), vol. iii. (1891), p. 3, pi. i. figs. 4, 5.— 
Lower Miocene; Cypress Hills, N.W. Territory, Canada. 
[Canadian Geol. Surv. Museum, Ottawa.] 
Amiurus maconneUi^ E. D. Cope, ibid. p. 4, pi. i. figs. 6, 7.— 
Ibid. [Ibid.] 
A genus closely related to the existing Pimelodus is represented 
by the following specimen : — 
P. 9010. Imperfect fish in Tertiary lignite; Taubate, Province of 
San Paulo, Brazil. 
Presented by John N. Tervet.^ Esq.., 1899. 
