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there for the resident population. Thus, the mountain 

 barbel, Oreinus, often erroneously termed a " trout," because 

 it is sometimes spotted with red, the Oreinus sinuatus is 

 common in many of the Himalayan rivers ; fishes of this 

 genus possess a sucker on the lower jaw behiDd its broad 

 mouth, by means of which it is able to adhere to rocks, and 

 prevent its being swept away down stream ; it is taken as 

 high as Kulu, even to 5 or 6,000 feet elevation, and is 

 common in the Ussun River, not above 4 or 5 miles from 

 Simla. Also another small carp, Discognatlius, exists in 

 these elevated regions throughout the year (it is also found 

 in the plains), and is furnished with a sucker in same 

 situation as in Oreinus. As migratory hill carps, may be 

 classed those which breed in the hills, but descend to the 

 rivers of the plains, where they reside during the cold and 

 drier months of the year, when the small hill streams would 

 be unsuited for their residence, re-ascending to the base of 

 the hills during the hot months, and, if possible, ascending up 

 the rivers into the Sub-Himalayan range, or those of other 

 hills, as of the Nilghiris or the Western Ghats, with the first 

 burst of the monsoon. 



XXXVII. Amongst the carps of the plains are a very 



Carps of the plains. Migra- large and varied number of forms, 



tory or non-migratory species. some of which are migratory, others 



not so ; these migrations are mostly effected for breeding 

 purposes, and generally take place during the S. W. monsoon, 

 but a few do so during the N. E. ; but many of these latter 

 are fish re-ascending towards their breeding-grounds to be 

 ready for the S. W. monsoon of the succeeding year. The 

 numbers and varieties of these carps of the plains show as 

 great a difference as was remarked upon in the siluroids 

 (para. XXX). Commencing with Southern India, there 

 are innumerable small species of carps in the plains, but a 

 paucity of large ones. This is not merely due to the 

 universal slaughter which obtains there, but is also partly a 

 consequence of smaller rivers and a hotter climate. As the 

 Masulipatam District or the Kistna or Tambudra Eivers 

 are reached, larger varieties of this sub-family come to notice ; 

 many large Labeos and the Catla, unrecorded as existing 

 further south, as towards Madras, can now be taken. 

 Whilst in the rivers skirting the base of the Nilghiris, as 

 those along the Western or Malabar Coast, very large species 

 of barbels, termed mahaseers, become apparent. The finest 

 carps, as in the genera Labeo, Cirrhina, Catla, and the 



