CYPRINID^E. 169 



Germs III. Barbus, Cuvier and Valenciennes. 



Puntius, pt. Ham. Buch. Labeoharbus and Varicorhinus, pt. Riipp. Systomus, 

 pt. McClell. Capoeta, sp. Cuv. and Val. Pseudobarbus, Bielz. Luciobarbus, Heckel. 

 Cheilobarbus, sp. Smith. Balanteocheilus, Hemibarbus, Cyclocheilichthys, Siaja, 

 Anematichthys, Hypselobarbus, Gonoproktopterus, Gnathopogon, Hampala, sp. 

 Bleeker. Enteromius, Cope. 



Mouth arched, and anterior or inferior ; jams closely invested by the lips, which 

 may have leathery lobes but no horny covering. Barbels 4, 2, or 0. Pharyngeal 

 teeth 5 or 4, 3 or 4, 2, or 3/2 or 3, 4 or 3, 4 or 5. Dorsal fin rather short, com- 

 mencing nearly opposite the ventrals, its last undivided ray being osseous and 

 sometimes serrated posteriorly, or articulated ; anal rather short in some species, its 

 second undivided ray sometimes osseous. Scales of large, medium, or small size ; the 

 anal row not enlarged. Lateral-line complete or incomplete. 



This most extensive genus has been variously subdivided, and possesses 

 most diverse and interesting forms, which, in British India, Burma, and Ceylon, 

 number at least seventy species. But as in the British Isles we merely possess 

 one species, the reader, if desirous of information respecting the above, must be 

 referred to my work on the Fishes of India, pp. 556-582. 



Geographical distribution. Europe, throughout Asia and Africa. 

 These fishes are omnivorous in their food, while some forms attain to a very 

 large size ; thus the Mahseer or Mahaseer of India, Barbus tor, Ham. Buch., has 

 been captured more than once over 100 lb. in weight, but such must be considered 

 very exceptional examples. Barbels from clear streams in India, when not above 10 

 or 15 lb. weight, are excellent eating, and deleterious effects do not, as in the 

 British species, follow employing them as food, but some forms of Indian hill-carps 

 as certainly are unwholesome, although it would appear that by constant use the 

 individual who eats them as food becomes no longer amenable to their injurious 

 influences. 



1. Barbus vulgaris, Plate CXXXI, fig. 1. 



Barbus, Ausonius, vers. 94 ; Rondel, ii, p. 194 ; Salvian, p. 86, f . 19 ; Gesner, 

 Aquat. iv, p. 124 ; Aldrovandus, p. 598 ; Jonston, Pise. Lib. 3, tit. i, c. v, p. 130, 

 t. xxvi, f . 6 ; Willughby, p. 259, t. Q 2, f. 1 ; Ray, Synop. p. 121 ; Schonev. p. 29. 

 Mystus, Belon. i, p. 301 ; Klein, Pise. Miss, v, p. 64. Cyprinus, Artedi, Genera, p. 4, 

 no. 11, Synom. p. 8, no. 14 ; Gronov. Zooph. i, p. 104. Barbeau, Duhamel, Peches, 

 ii, p. 520. Barbel, Pennant, Brit. Zool. (Ed. 1776) iii, p. 357, pl.lxxi (Ed. 1812) 

 iii, p. 472, pi. lxxxii ; Bowdich, Brit. F. W. Fish, fig. no. ix. 



Cyprinus barbus, Linn. Syst. Nat. i, p. 527 ; Bloch, Fische Dents, i, p. 109, 

 t. xviii; Gmel. Linn. p. 1409; Bl. Schn. p. 450; Bonnaterre, Ency. Ich. p. 189, 

 pi. lxxvi, fig. 317 ; Lacep. v, p. 524 ; Pallas, Zoo. Ross.- Asiat. iii, p. 291 ; Donovan, 

 Brit. Fish, ii, pi. xxix ; Shaw, Brit. Zool. v, t. exxxii ; Turton, Brit. Fauna, p. 107 ; 

 Jenyns, Manual, p. 404 ; Gronov. ed. Gray, p. 177 ; Schlegel, Dieren Neder.p. 99, 

 pi. x, f. 3. 



Barbus vulgaris, Fleming, Brit. Anim. p. 185 ; Yarrell, Brit. Fish. (ed. 1) i, 

 p. 321, c, fig. (ed. 2) i, p. 367 ; Swainson, Fish, ii, p. 284 ; Gunther, Catal. vii, 

 p. 88 ; Houghton, Brit. F. W. Fishes, p. 27, c. fig. i ; Giglioli, Cat. Peso. Ital. p. 43. 



Barbus fluviatilis, Agassiz, Mem. Soc. Sc. Nat. Neuch. i, p. 37 ; Cuv. and Val. 

 xvi, p. 125 ; Yarrell, Brit. Fish. (ed. 3)i, p. 378 ; Kroyer, Dan. Fisk. iii, p. 321, c. 

 fig. ; Heckel and Kner, Suss. w. f. p. 79 ; Kessler, Bull. Soc. Nat. Mosc. 1859, 

 xxxii, pt. i, p. 527 ; Siebold, Suss. w. f. p. 109 ; Canestrini, Fauna Ital. Pesc. 

 p. 12 ; Blanchard, Poiss. France, p. 302, f . 60 ; Moreau, Poiss. France, iii, p. 379. 



Barbus barbus, White, Catal. p. 60. 



Barbus cyclolepis, Heckel, Ann. Wien. Mus. ii, p. 155. 



Barbus communis, Nord. in Demid. Voy. Russ. Merid. iii, p. 172. 



Barbel, Couch, Fish. Brit. Isles, iv, p. 16, pi. clxxxi. 



B. iii, D. 12-13 (f*), P. 18, V. 9-10, A. 7-8, (V), C. 20, L.l. 52-63 (70), 

 L. tr. 13/15. 



