550 PHTSOSTOMI. 



1. Semiplotus modestus, D. 24, A. 9-10, L. 1. 32-34. Last undivided dorsal ray osseous and serrated. 

 Akyab. 



B. — Smooth dorsal ray. 



2. Semiflotus McClellandi, D. 3/25, A. 9, L. 1. 27. Last undivided dorsal ray osseous and entire. 

 Colour, silvery. Assam and Burma. 



A. — Serrated dorsal ray. 

 1. Semiplotus modestus, Plate CXXXIII, fig. 1. 



Day, Proc. Zool. Soc. 18/0, p. 101. 



B. iii, D. 24(^), P. 15, V. 9, A. 9-10(^V). C. 19, L. 1. 32-34, L. tr. 7^/7^. 



Length of head 5^ to Si, of caudal 4i, height of body nearly 3 in the total length. Eyes — diameter 

 3 to Si in the length of head, 1 diameter from end of snout, li diameters apart. Snout broad, obtuse, 

 overhanging the mouth : several open pores on either side. Mouth inferior, transverse, a thin cartilaginous 

 covering to the lower jaw. A small knob at the symphysis. The posterior extremity of the maxilla extends 

 to beneath the middle of the orbit. Barbels — absent. Teeth — pharyngeal, 4, 3, 2/2, 3, 4. Fins — dor.sal fin 

 commences anterior to the origin of the ventral, and extends to above the anal, its last undivided ray is osseous, 

 serrated, and as long as the head excluding the snout. The pectoral reaches the ventral and the latter the 

 anal. Caudal forked. Lateral-line — 3| rovrs of scales between it and the base of the ventral fin. Colours — 

 silvery, darkest in the upper half of the body. Ventrals and anal tipped with orange. 



Habitat. — HUl ranges near Akyab : two specimens obtained, up to h\ inches in length. 



B. — Smooth dorsal ray. 

 2. Semiplotus McClellandi, Plate CXXXIII, fig. 4. 

 Cyprinus semiplotus, McClell. Ind. Cyp. pp. 274, 34G, pi. xxxvii, fig. 2 ; Cuv. and Val. xvi, p. 68. 

 Semiplotus McGlellandi, Bleeker, Atl. Ich. Cyp. p. 25 ; Giinther, Catal. vii, p. 204. 

 Sundaree, Sentoree, and Lah-bo-e, Assam. 



B. iii, D. 27-28(^^3^), P. 16, V. 10, A. 9(.?), C. 19, L. I. 27-33, L. tr. R/G. 



Length of head 5|^ to 6, of caudal 4 to 4^, height of body 3^ in the total length. Eyes — in the middle 

 of the length of the head, diameter from 4 to 6 in the length of head, the width of the interorbital space 

 ei|ualling rather above half the length of the head. Dorsal profile more convex than that of the abdomen : 

 the height of the head equals its length. Snout obtuse, and thickened : with a row of about 6 open pores, 

 passing across it and towards the orbit. A horny covering to lower jaw. Barbels — absent. Teeth — pharyngeal, 

 plough-shaped, 4, 3, 2/2, 3, 4. Fins — dorsal commences midway between the end of the snout and the end of 

 tlie base of the anal fin, its height slightly exceeding half of that of the body, its last undivided ray strong, 

 osseous, entire, and rather longer than the head excluding the snout. Pectoral nearly as long as the head, it 

 reaches to above the ventral, wliich is inserted below the fourtli or fifth dorsal ray. Anal laid flat nearly reaches 

 the base of the caudal which latter is deeply forked. Lateral-line — nearly straight, 3| rows of scales between 

 it and the base of the ventral fin. Colours — of a leaden silver, darkest superiorly : the pectoral, ventral, and 

 anal orange. 



GrifBth observes that the smaller examples are iisually found near rapids, the larger ones in deeper water 

 where of an evening they are seen rising, but refuse all baits. McClelland states that this fish is reckoned the 

 most delicious in Assam. I can however record from personal observation that it is rich and very liable to set 

 up intestinal irritation. 



Habitat. — Rivers in Assam, especially in the upper portions of that district, but found as low as Goalpara : 

 also Burma. It is often termed Bajah-mas. or "kings' fish" in upjier Assam, as it is asserted that when captured 

 it had to be taken to the Rajahs for their own consumption. As it is very common this explanation is 

 improbable, ilore likely a tax was levied on its capture. It attains at least two feet in length. 



Genus, 14 — Scaphiodon, HecJcel. 



Capoeta, sp. and Chondrostoma, sp. Cuv. and Val. : Dillonia, Gymnostomus, sp. Heckel. 



Abdomen rounded. Snout rounded. Mouth transverse, inferior, with the mandibular edge nearly straight 

 and, sharp : roithout any Jcnob above the symp)hysis. The mandibles angularly bent inwards. A horny layer inside 

 the lower jaiv, which is not covered by lip. No lower labial fold. Barbels four, two, or absent. Pharyngeal teeth, 

 ■plough-shaped, 5 or 4, 3, 2/2, 3, 4 or 5. Dorsal fin of moderate extent,* its last imdivided ray being osseous and 

 serrated or entire, or else articulated. Anal rather short. Scales large, of moderate or small size, and sometimes 

 irregularly disposed. Lateral-line passing to the centre of the base of the caudal fin. 



This genus is closely allied to Semiplotus, but its dorsal fin is of less extent. 



* None of the followiog species agree with Dr. Giinther's definitionof the genus (_Capoeta) Scaphiodon : — Dorsal fin "with not 

 more than nine branched rays," all exceeding that number. 



