582 PHTSOSTOMI. 



68. Barbus vittatus, Plate CXLIV, fig. 2. 



Puntius vittatus, Day, Proc. Zool. Soe. 1805, p. 303, Fisli. Malabar, p. 215, pi. 13, f. 1. 



Barhus vittatus, Giinthcr, Catal. vii, p. l-iG. 



Puntius sophore, Kner, No vara Fische, ji. 347 (not Ham. Bucli.). 



KooK, Hind. 



B. iii, D. 10 (f). P. 12, V. 9, A. 7 (f), C. 20, L. 1. 20-22, L. tr. 3/4. 



Length of head 4 to 4J, of caudal 5, height of body 3^ in the total length. Eyes — diameter from 1/2 to 

 1/3 in the adult of the length of head, 2/3 of a diameter from end of snout, H diameters apart. Dorsal and 

 abdominal profiles about equally convex. ]\Iouth small. Barie/s— absent. Fins— last undivided dorsal ray 

 articulated, weak, and entire : the fin commences somewhat in advance of the ventrals, and midway between the 

 snout and the base of the caudal tin, the latter being forked. ia^ero?-Z/;ie— incomplete, ceasing after about .5 

 scales, 3 rows between it and the base of the ventral fin : 8 rows before the dorsal fin. Culours — silvery, 

 generally with four black spots in the adult, one just before the dorsal, one below its posterior margin, another 

 at the base of the caudal, and a fourth at the base of the anal. The dorsal has a vertical black streak, and 

 a black tip with orange markings. In the immature the colours vary ; when the fish is about eight-tenths 

 of an inch long, a vertical stripe begins to show itself in the posterior third of the dorsal fin, the summit of 

 which also becomes edged with black, whilst there are some irregular orange markings : in very young 

 specimens the line of demarcation between the green of the back, and the silvery abdomen, appears like a white 

 band running from the eye to the middle of the tail. In some specimens one or more of the spots are absent. 



Eahitat.—Myaore, Madras, Wynaad, Malabar, Ceylon, and Cutch, attaining li inches in length. The 

 specimen figured (life-size) was from Madras. 



69. Barbus filamentosus. 



Leuciscus Jilamentosus, Cuv. and Val. xvii, p. 95, pi. 492 ; Bleeker, Beng. p. 68. 



Systomus assimilis, Jilameidosus and Madraspatensis, Jerdon, Madr. Journ. Lit. and Sc. xv, pp. 318, 319. 



Puntius Jilamentosus, Day, Fish, ilalabar, p. 215. 



B. iii, D. 11(A), p. 15, V. 9, A. 7(1), C. 19, L. 1. 21, L. tr. 4/4. 



Length of head 5, of caudal 4, height of body 3 to 3i in the total length. J?7/es— diameter 3^ in 

 the length^of head, 2/3 to 1 diameter from end of snout, If apart. Interorbital space nearly flat. Body 

 strongly compressed and elevated. Generally large pores over the snout. Barbels— absent. Fins — dorsal 

 arises slightly nearer snout than base of the caudal fin, its last undivided ray is osseous, smooth, and feeble, 

 whilst the di\'ided ones are all more or less elongated in the adult. Lateral-Une—com])\cte, 2 rows of scales 

 between it and the base of the ventral : 7 rows "before the dorsal fin. Colours — silvery, each scale having a 

 metallic green edging, whilst a more or less distinct black blotch exists on the lateral-line, on the fourteenth 

 and fifteenth scales, and before the base of the caudal fin. A very curious change occurs in this fisli 

 immediately after death, the whole of its body becoming scarlet. Caudal red, tipped with black, and edged 

 with white : dorsal and ventral nearly black. 



Habitat. — Western coast and Southern India, attaining 6 inches in length. It is so similar to B. Maliecola 

 (except in wanting barbels) that I have not figured it. 



70. Barbus puntio, Plate CXLV, fig. 6. 



Cyprinus piintio. Ham. Buch. Fish. Ganges, pp. 318, 389. 



Systomus ^Juntio, Bleeker, Beng. p. 62. 



Barbus puntio, Gunther, Catal. vii, p. 154; Day, Proc. Zool. Soc. 1870, p. 100. 



B, iii, D. 11 (I), P. 15, V. 9, A. 7 (I), C. 21, L. 1. 23, L. tr. 5/4. 



Length of head 4 to 4^, of caudal 3*, height of body 3 to 3} in the total length. Eyes— diameter 2/5 of 

 length of head, 1/2 to 3/4 of a diameter from end of snout, 1 diameter apart. Dorsal profile considerably 

 elevated. Mouth small. Barbels— absent. Fins— last undivided dorsal ray osseous and entire, the fin 

 commences rather in advance of the ventrals, and midway between the anterior margin of the orbit and the 

 base of the caudal fin, the latter deeply forked. Lateral-line— only extending distinctly for a few scales, but 

 very indistinctly to the base of the caudal fin : 2i rows between it and the base of the ventral fin : 8 rows 

 before the dorsal fin. Colours — silvery, a wide black band encircles the free portion of the tail, and includes 

 the tip of the anal fin. Dorsal orange tipped with black. 



Habitat. — Bengal and British Burma. It only attains about 3 inches in length. 



B. Dorsal fin commencing very distinctly posterior to the ventrals, but not extending to above the 

 anal, which last is short or of moderate length (5 to 11 branched rays). 



Genus, 17— NuEiA, Cuv. and Val. 

 Esomus, Swainson. 

 Abdomen rounded. Pseudobranchice present : wouth narroiv, directed obliquely iqiwards, suborbitals broad. 



