342 



REPORT ON FISHES. PART 11: SISORIDAE AN'O CYPRIXIDAK 



furcate with pointed lobes, the upper of which is appreciably lonyer tiian the lower. It is 

 siiglitly shorter than the head; the lengtii of its central rays is contained nearly 2.5 times 

 in that of the outer ones. The lateral line is uniformly and moderately concave, and runs to 

 the middle of the root of the caudal; in some specimens it is irre,L;ularl\' wavy in the anteriur 

 half of the iKxly. The vent is in front of the origin of the anal; in female specimens it is 

 provided with a raised Heshy area. The scales on the body are very small. The tiled row 

 of anal scales are moderately developed, the largest ones being about half as broad as the 

 orbit. 



The coluuratiiin of the majority of specimens in alcohol is reddish brown with a much 

 darker upper surface, while a few are somewhat paler.'" The entire body, except for the 

 ventral surface is powdered with black pigments. All the llns are dusky. 



9 



Figure 9. Lateral view of posterior part of a specimen of Schholhorax phnijrons Heckel from Manasbal 

 Lake, showing form of anal and caudal fins. Nat. size. The arrow indicates the e.\tent of tlie anal fin in relation 

 to the root of the caudal. 



Bionomics: The peritoueimi is black. The structme of the air-bladder is more or less 

 similar to the other memljers of the genus. Its posterior chaml)er is elongated and spindle- 

 sha])ed, while its semi-rounded and wider anterior chamber is much shorter. In a specimen, 

 212 mm. long, the lengths of the anterior and the posterior chambers are 28 mm. and 45 mm. 

 respectively. The alimentary canal is long, wide and moderately convoluted. Its length in 

 grown-up individuals is nearly 3.5 times the length of the body excluding the caudal. The 

 gut contents of 4 specimens from the Dal and the Manasbal lakes were examined. I.timps 

 of a kind ui soft pulpy substance mixed with sand and mud, vegetable debris and huge amount 

 of filamentous algae were found. There was no trace of any insect larvae or of any other 

 animal matter. In the case of a gravid female the intestine was partially empty. The gut 

 ci>ntent^ and also the- length of tlu- iule>line suggest that the species is a vegetable teeder. 



'"Ill one of his letters Mr. (i. K. Hutchinson informed us that the Kashmiri fishermen observe difference 

 between the paler specimens and the darker ones by using the name "Cluilla" and "Chush" respectively. There 

 is not the least doubt, however, that "Clialla" is a colour variation of "Chush." Dr. S. L. Hora kindly informs 

 me that in the Punjab a similar word "Chitia" means white, while "Challa" would denote a licking habit on the 

 part of the (ish. Evidently reference is made to the colour of the species in this case. 



