CYPRINIMl. 43 



These fish vary so much, however, with regard to 

 the apparent shape of their heads and the thickness 

 of their lips, according to their age, the kind of stream 

 they are living in, and the season of the year, that I 

 think it safer at present to leave them under one 

 name, although they may possibly turn out eventually 

 to belong to two or more distinct species. I have 

 found generally that those which are found in still 

 water, or such as have been feeding chiefly on water 

 weeds, and the larger specimens, have soft thick 

 lips, more or less lobed, of which the upper has a 

 tendency to project over the lower one, and to make 

 the head appear more pointed. So far as I can make 

 it out, the only reliable point seems to be the com- 

 parative length of the head. 



In Barbus mosal the length of the head is contained 

 of times in the total length (exclusive of the tail fin). 



91 



.^t; xiiuiv iuuaio ullc jji u uujl tiuu id ucaici 



times. 



In large individuals the proportion is nearer 3- 2 



Counting the scales along the lateral line from the 

 head to the caudal fin, there will usually be found to 

 be about 26, sometimes one more or less. Counting 

 diagonally downwards from the centre of the back, 

 there will be found four series to the lateral line, and 

 four more from the line to the centre of the belly. 

 There are two entire series between the lateral line 

 and the root of the ventral fin. 



Char. Dorsal ray bony and strong. 25 to 27 

 scales along the lateral line, not more than two rows 

 between the lateral line and the ventral fin. 



