FAMILY, V— CTPRINID^. 565 



Barbus macroceplialus, McClell. Ind. Cyp. pp. 270, 335, pi. 55, f. 2 ; Cuv. and Val. xvi, p. 201 ; Bleeker, 

 Beng. p. 60 ; Giintlier, Cat. vii, p. 131 ; Day, Proc. Z. S. 1869, p. 556. 



Barhus mosal, Cuv. and Val. xvi, p. 200 ; Bleeker, Beng. p. 60 ; Day, Proc. Z. S. 1870, p. 372. 



Barbus mtissulah, Sykes, Trans. Zool. Soc. ii, p. 356 ; Bleeker, Beng. p. 60 ; Jerdon, M. J. L. and Sc. 

 1849, p. 313. 



Barbus HamiUonii, Jerdon, M. J. L. and S. 1849, pp. 311, 312. 



Labeobarbus, tor and progenius, Bleeker, Beng. p. 60, and Cobit. and Cyprin. Ceylon, 1864, p. 10, t. 2. 



Barbus macrolepis, Giintlier, Catal. vii, p. 131. 



Burapatra, Assam: Poo-meen-candee, Tarn.: Naliarm, Hind.: Kuhhiah, Punj. : Joon-gah, Petiah and 

 Kurreah, Sind. 



B. iii, D. 12(f), P. 19, V. 9, A. 7-8(^i^), L. 1. 25-27, L. tr. 4/4. 



Length of head 4 to 5, of caudal 4f to 5, height of body 4j to 51 in the total length. Eyes — 

 diameter 6j to 7^ in the length of the head in moderately sized specimens but much larger in the 

 young (at 3'5 inches in length being 3|- in the length of the head; at 5 inches, 41), 2 to 2y diameters 

 from the end of snout, and 2 apart. Interorbital space flat. Opercle 1/4 higher than -wide : the maxilla 

 reaches to below the front edge of the eye : snout pointed : jaws of about the same length : hjos thick, 

 with an uninterrupted fold across the lower jaw, and both the upper and lower lips in some specimens 

 produced in the mesial line. Dorsal profile more convex than the abdominal in some examples, not so 

 in others. Barbels — the maxillary paii" longer than the rostral ones, and extend to below the last third 

 of the eye. Fins — the dorsal arises opposite the ventral and is 3/4 as high as tlie body, its last 

 undivided ray is smooth, osseous, strong; and of varying length and thickness. Himalayan, Bengal, and 

 Central Indian specimens generally have the spine strong, and from 1/2 to 2/3 the length of the head, 

 it rarely exceeding this extent. In Canara, Malabar, and Southern India, where the lips are largely 

 developed (see PI. CXL.) the spine is very much stronger and as long as the head excluding the snout. 

 Pectoral as long as the head excluding the snout, it reaches the ventral which is little shorter. Anal laid flat 

 does not reach the base of the caudal which is deeply forked. Lateral-line — complete, 2 to 2^ rows of scales 

 between it and the base of the ventral fin : 9 rows before the dorsal. Free portion of the tail longer than 

 high. Colours — silvery or greenish along the upper half of the body, becoming silvery shot with gold on the 

 sides and beneath. Lower fins reddish yellow. 



This fish is the celebrated " Maha seer" of sportsmen in India. The various large barbels in Assam are 

 termed '^Petiah," with a specific name prefixed to denote the species alluded to. 



Barbus macrocepliahis, McClelland, from along the Eastern Himalayas and Upper Assam, has not the 

 length of the head, " 2/5 only of the total (without the caudal)" — (Giintlier) ; but vrithoiit the head or caudal, or 

 2/7 of the total excluding the caudal fin. It has rather a longer head (4i in the total) than is usual, its eye is 

 nearer the front end of the head, whilst the upper bone of the suborbital ring is very wide. 



Barbus tor, H. B., or progenius, McClelL, shows great variation in the length of the head which seems 

 to augment in proportion with the size of the fish : the body is often much higher, whilst the lips are very 

 much more developed than in the last variety. 



ila&tfa^— Generally throughout India, but in the largest size, and greatest abundance in mountain 

 streams or those which are rocky. 



16. Barbus hexastichus, Plate CXXXVI, fig. 4. 



Barbus hexastichus, McClelland, Ind. Cyp. pp. 269, 333, pi. 39, f. 2 ; Giinther, Catal. vii, p. 129. 

 ? Labeobarbus tor, Bleeker, Ceylon, 1864, p. 10, t. 2 (not Ham. Buch.) 

 ? Barbus longispinis, Giinther, Catal. vii, p. 132. 

 Lobura, Assam. 



B. iii, D. 12-13(V), P- 17. V. 9, A. 7(f), C. 19, L. 1. 25-26, L. tr. 4/5. 



Length of head 5 to 6, of candal 5 to 5j, height of body 4|- to 5 in the total length. Eijes — diameter 

 1/5 of length of head, Ij diameters from end of snout, 2 diameters apart. Interorbital space slightly convex. 

 Opercle higher than wide. Lips moderately thick, the lower one without or with a badly developed lobe, but 

 having a shallow and continuous transverse fold. Mouth rather inferior, directed anteriorly : the upper jaw 

 slightly the longer. Sometimes poi'es on the cheeks. Barbels — longer than the eye. Fins — dorsal fin with its 

 osseous ray strong, smooth, and from half as long as head to as long as the head without the snout, it 

 commences somewhat nearer the snout than the base of the caudal, the latter being deeply forked, with the 

 lower lobe the longer. Pectoral as long as the head excluding the snout. Lateral-Hue — complete, 2 to 2-s- rows 

 of scales between it and the base of the ventral fin : 10 rows before the dorsal fin. Free portion of the tail 

 longer than high. Goloiirs — brownish, tinged with green along the upper edge of the body, becoming dull 

 white shot with yellow on the sides and below : candal and anal reddish. The fry have a black spot before the 

 base of the caudal fin. 



Habitat. — Rivers on and around Himalayas, Cashmere, Sikhim and Assam, growing to 3 feet in length. 

 The example figured is ID'S inches long and from Assam. Specimens from the plains appear to have the head 



