CYPRIXID^E. 53 



Three transverse black bars down the sides. Dor- 

 sal and caudal fins edged with black. 



36. Barbus puckelli. 



Hab. Bangalore. 3 inches. 



Char. Scales 24, transverse 4 + 3. 



A scarlet stripe along the side. A deep black 

 mark on the dorsal fin. An indistinct dark mark on 

 the lateral line from the 19th to the 21st scales. 



C. Species without Barbels (Puntius). 



We next come to the third division of genns Bar- 

 bus, containing snch species as have no barbels. 

 They form a gronp of small fishes common all over 

 India in ponds, and are generally brightly coloured. 



Ham. Buchanan designated them as a separate 

 division under the name of Puntius, but the series is 

 so perfect between these and the species last described 

 that it is impossible to draw the line of distinc- 

 tion except at those species that are without barbels, 

 which are sometimes so minute as to make it difficult 

 to ascertain their existence. It is even possible that 

 some species, such as Barbus lepidus and filamcntosus, 

 the former with two barbels, the latter with none, or 

 Barbus tit his and B. tetrarupagus, may by further in- 

 vestigation turn out to be identical species which are 

 liable to variation in this respect. 



In this group the number of the scales is not of 

 much value for identification, as, with the exception of 

 Barbus ambassis with 36 scales, and Barbus punja- 



