REPORT ON FISHES. PART II: SISORIDAE AND CYPRINIDAE 



349 



It is nornially as Imii; as tlie head l)eliiii(l tlie nostrils, l^ut it may be as long as or a little 

 longer than the entire head. 



Bionomics: The perituneuni is iilack. The air-bladder, although bipartite is peculiarly 

 modified. The anterior chaml)er is roughly knob-like with a broader anterior portion, while 

 the jjosterior chamber is narmw in the lieginning, IjecDming broadest in the middle ami 

 narnnver again towards the free purtinn and has thus a somewhat bulbular appearance. 

 The posterior chamber is moderately thick-walled, specially near and behind the constric- 

 tion between the two chamljers (Text-figure 15). The posterior chamber is nearly twice 

 as long as the anterior one. The alimentary canal is capacious, long and much convoluted ; 



16 



FiGiiRK 15. Oicimis sinmilns (Heckcl). .\ir-liladder uf (a) a specimen, 275 mm. Idiig. from Spitok, Indian 

 Tibet and (/>) a specimen, 255 mm. lung, fmm Kargil, Indian Tibet, showing structural variation. Nat. size. 



it is about 4 to 5 times as long as the body e.xduding the caudal fin. The intestines of sjjeci- 

 mens from Kargil and Spitok were examined and found to contain lumps of gravel and 

 mud mixed with pulpy vegetable matter. A few chironomid larv-ae were also found. 



Br(\'iiiii<i: No delinitc information is available in regard to the breeding habits of 

 the species. Day, however, observed: "In May (at ("humba) the ova of these fish inhab- 

 iting the main stream, were almost fully develo])ed, Ix'ing numerous and of large size, 

 whilst there were a considerable number of fry in the side streams of the Ravi." Of the 

 few Kxpedition specimens opened by me, I find in one case, a female 280 mm. Imig, that 

 the eggs are fully developed and have a diameter of about 1.5 mm. 



Distribution: Orcinus siniiatiis occurs in the rivers of Kashmir and the runjab, and 

 prefers to live among rocks. In Afghanistan the species is replaced by the variety griffitlii 



