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Show 520 SURGEON F. DAY ON INDIAN FISHES. [Nov. 1 1, Jerdon, who obtained them at Purneah. He informs me "its habitat is not mountain-streams, but rivers in the plains of Northern Bengal." TRICHOGASTER FASCIATUS, Bloch. I obtained a large number of specimens of this species from the Calcutta market, and was enabled to form a complete series showing how the preorbital changes with age. At 3 inches the whole of its lower margin is serrated; at about 3| inches the serrations become mere denticulations, fewer in number and wider apart; at 4 inches some of the specimens have the preorbital entire. This species is given as Trichopodus colisa by Hamilton Buchanan, and figured at pl. 15. f. 40. The original drawing is marked Trichopodus beje; it may therefore be safely assumed that these two names belong to one and the same species. Amongst the M S . drawings are beautiful coloured figures of:-the Trichogaster lalius, H . B., marked T. ruber ; Trichogaster chuna, IT. B., marked T. vittatus; Trichogaster sofa, H. B., marked T. fuscus; Trichogaster cotra, H. B. marked T. ceerulescens. TRICHOGASTER LALIUS, H. B. D. 16/8. P. 9. V. 1. A. r 3^. C. 15. L. 1. 24-26. Preorbital denticulated, also the horizontal margin of the preopercle, the teething becoming gradually coarser posteriorly. Lateral line either absent or only just visible for a few scales. Fourteen rows of scales between the dorsal and anal fins. This lovely little fish is the most beautiful amongst the numerous species of freshwater fishes I have ever seen. It is vertically banded with scarlet and light blue, each scale having one half of each colour. The vertical fins are banded with scarlet dots. I kept four dozen of this species in m y rooms in Calcutta for six weeks, hoping, but in vain, to get a ship captain to convey them to the Zoological Society's Gardens. TRICHOGASTER CHUNA, H. B. D. 18/18. P. 11. V. 2. A. g. C. 15. L. 1. 26. Preorbital and preopercle serrated. Lateral line only a puncture on a few scales. Colours. A black band from the eye to the end of the caudal fin. Only one specimen, an inch long, is in the Museum : it may be a variety of the last; but more specimens are required to decide. There are several interesting specimens amongst the Ophiocepha-lidee iu this fine collection, a few of which deserve a passing notice. OPHIOCEPHALUS GACHNA, H. B. (variety). B. v. D. 37. A. 25. L. 1. 46. The body is banded, and has a general orange tinge. None of the teeth are enlarged. The pectoral fin reaches to above the anal, and |
