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Show 72"? DR. A. GVNTHFR ON FISHES ("June 6, Nevertheless having found that the extent of the dentition in the species of this genus should be used as a taxonomic character with great caution only, and all the more so the Younger the specimens are, I cannot make up m y mind to employ a distinct name tor the Prah specimens. FiV. 4. Chrysichthys biittikoferi (type). I have before me one adult specimen 17 in. long, and four small ones 5 or 6 in. long; they were obtained at the same locality on the River Prah and at the same time, so that there cannot be any doubt that all five belong to the same species. In appearance, and especially in the form of the bead, the young differ so much from the old that if they had been obtained 'at a more distant locality it would have been impossible to recognize their specific affinity. I therefore give here descriptive diagnoses of both adult and' young. _ Adult (Pl. NLL).-The height of the body is contained 4^ times m the total length (without caudal), the length of the bead 3^;caudal peduncle two thirds as long as high. Head broader than hicrb its greatest width being two thirds of its length ; tbe greater portion of its upper surface is covered with thin, soft skin, but the granulated parts of the bones on the nape and crown of the head are exposed or covered only with a thin film of skin ; occipital process rather longer than the tasal bone of the dorsal spine, both meeting a little behind the nape. Snout rather long, narrowed towards the end, depressed, its length being two fifths of that of the head • upper jaw projecting beyond the lower ; mouth of moderate width' as wide as the distance between the eves. Nasal barbels thin' about as long as tbe eye; maxillarv barbels reaching beyond the orbit outer mandibulary barbels to the gill-opening; maiidibularv barbe s inserted in nearly the same straight line, the inner beinff slightly anterior and less than a diameter of the eye distant from each other. The teeth on the palate are confined to the vomer being placed in two ovate groups, which are less than half a diameter of the eye distant from each other. The band of intermaxillary teeth tapers outward, each half being twice as broad as long. The width of the bony interorbital space is more than that ot the orbit, which is two fifths of the length of the snout, and one sixth of that of the head. Dorsal fin (mutilated) of moderate height; the length of its base is two fifths of its distance from the adipose fin, and not quite twice as long as the base of the latter |
