REPORT ON FISHES. PART II : SISORIDAE AND CYPRINIDAE 



345 



pruminent and their diameter is contained from 4.2 to nearly 5 times in the length of the 

 snout. 



The commencement of the dorsal fin is opposite that of the ventrals and considerably 

 nearer the root of the caudal than the tip of the snout ; in certain specimens it is almost 

 equidistant l)et\veen these two points. The osseous dorsal spine is more or less narrow and 

 slender towards the distal end, slightly curved and armed posteriorly with 17 to 20 promi- 

 nent teeth (Text-figure 11). It is as long as the head behind the anterior margin of the 

 eyes or the nostrils. The anal fin is short and its longest ray is shorter than that of the dorsal ; 

 it rarely reaches the root of the caudal. The pectorals are considerably shorter than the head, 

 nnt ni<jre than the length of the head from behind the middle of the eyes; they are sepa- 



12 



Figure 12. Lateral view of posterior part of body of a specimen of Schicothorax micropogon Heckel from Dal 



Lake, showing form of anal and caudal fins. X 1/4. 



rated from the origin of the ventrals by a distance equalling more than half their own length. 

 The ventrals are slightly shorter than the pectorals and are separated from the insertion of 

 the anal by a distance equalling almost half their own length. The caudal fin is somewhat 

 shorter than the head, deeply furcate and appreciably higher than long with more or less 

 equal lobes; the length of the central rays is contained nearly 2.5 times in the length of the 

 outer rays (Text-figure 12). The vent is situated in front of the anal and in female speci- 

 mens is provided with a prominent fleshy papilla. The scales on the body are minute. The 

 tiled row of anal scales are small, the largest one being less than half as broad as the orbit. 



The colouration of the specimens in alcohol is reddish brown with a darker upper sur- 

 face. As in vS". planifrons some of the specimens are paler. The entire Iwdy excluding the 

 ventral surface is dusted with fine black pigments. The dorsal and the caudal fins are dusky. 



Bionomics: The peritoneum is black. The structure of the air-bladder is similar to that 

 of S. planifrons. In specimen, 132 mm. long, the lengths of the anterior and the posterior 

 chambers are 19 mm. and 31 mm. respectively. The alimentary canal is short and of mod- 

 erate width with a few convolutions. Its length varies from 1.5 to about 2 times the length 

 of the body excluding the caudal fin. The gut contents of 5 specimens from the Dal and the 

 Manasbal lakes were examined, and the intestines were found to be partially empty, but small 



