614 PHYSOSTOMI. 



Nemacheilus paiwnaceus, Giintlier, Catal. vii, p. 348. 



AcanthocolUis longipinnis, Peters, Mon. Ak. Wiss. Berl. 1861, p. 712. 



B. iii, D. 16-20(-|-;|^), V. 8, A. 7(|), C. 19. 



Length of head 5f , of caudal 7|, height of body 6, of dorsal fin 5^ in the total length. Eyes— in 

 the middle of the length of the head, diameter 2/9 of length of head, 2 diameters from end of snout. In some 

 Hpecimens the pre-orbital forms a blunt spine. Fins — dorsal situated rather in front of the middle of the 

 total length, it commences nearer to the snout than to the base of the caudal, which latter is slightly 

 emarginate. Scales — absent. Colours — body crossed by about twenty half bars of a darkish gray : a dark 

 ocellus surrounded by a light margin exists' upon the upper portion of the base of the caudal fin. Dorsal and 

 caudal barred. 



Habitat. — Assam. 



3. Nemacheilus rubidipinnis, Plate CLIII, fig. 4. 



Cohitis ruhidipinnis and semieonata, Blyth, Proc. Asi. Soc. of Beng. 1860, pp. 170, 171. 

 Nemacheilus ruhidipinnis and semizonata, Giinther, Catal. vii, p. 348. 



B. iii, D. 15-16(„?„), P. 14, V. 8. A. 7(f), C. 19. 



Length of head 5i, of caudal .5f , height of body 6 in the total length. Eyes— in the middle of the 

 length of the head, 2 diameters from the end of snout, and IJ apart. The greatest width of the head equals 

 its length excluding the snout. (The spine-like process projecting from the middle of the upper lip is the end 

 of the premaxiUaries.) Barbels— ihe two rostral pairs reach to below the front edge of the eye. The maxillary 

 pair are of about equal length. Fins — dorsal commences in advance of the ventral, and rather nearer the 

 snout than the base of the caudal fin, its upper edge is oblique : pectoral as long as the head and reaching 

 rather above 2/3 of the distance to the ventral, which last goes rather above 1/2 way to the anal. Scales- 

 very diatinct all over the hodj : 15 rows between the lateral-line and base of the ventral fin. Caudal nearly 

 entire. Colours — reddish brown, with 12 to 16 irregular darkish bands descending from the back and ending in 

 dark spots below the lateral-line : 4 to 6 oblique bands on the dorsal fin : 6 to 8 u-regularly vertical bars on 

 the caudal, which has a black ocellus on the upper half of its base. 



Habitat.— Te-nasserim. I am indebted to Dr. Anderson of the Calcutta Museum for the example 

 figured. 



4. Nemacheilus botia, Plate CLVI, fig. 5. 



Cohitis botia and bilturio, Ham. Buch. Pish. Ganges, pp. 350, 358, 394, 395 ; Cuv. and Val. xviii, pp. 35, 

 72 ; Bleeker, Beng. p. 70. 



Cohitis himucronata, ocellata and scaturigina, McClell. Ind. Cyp. pp. 304, 435, 436, pi. 51, fig. 4, and 6 

 (from H. B.'s MS.) 



Cohitis moreh, Sykes, Fishes of Deccan, T. Z. S. ii, p. 366 : Bleeker, Beng. p. 70. 



Somileptes unispina, Swainson, Fishes, ii, p. 311. 



Nemacheilus botia and urophthalmus, Gunthcr, Catal. vii, pp. 348, 349: Day, P. Z. S. 1869, p. 382. 



Bil-turi and BalU-potiah, Assam; Soon-da-lee, Punj. 



B. iii, D. 12-14(„^^), P. 11, V. 8, A. 7(1), C. 17. 



Length of head 4^ to 54, of caudal 4i, height of body 4J in the total length. &/es— diameter 3| to 4 

 in the length of head, Ii to 1| diameters from end of snout and Ii apart. The greatest width of the head 

 equals half its length. Preorbital has in some specimens a projection which is movable below the orbit (A'. 

 ^Kjijo), whilst in others it is entirely concealed by the skin (N. bilturio). Barbels— long, the maxillary pair 

 reaching to below the posterior edge of the eye. Fins — dorsal commences rather nearer the snout than to the 

 base of the caudal fin, whilst the length of its base equals that of the head, its upper edge nearly straight. 

 Pectoral as long as the head. Ventral inserted under the middle of the dor.sal, caudal slightly notched. 

 Scales — distinct. Lateral-line — complete, 12 rows of scales between it and the base of the ventral fin. Colours 

 — grayish, with from 10 to 14 short bars on the lateral-line, and a number of irregular blotches above it, 

 sometimes forming bands over the back. Dorsal fin orange and with rows of black spots : caudal with about 

 seven irregular bars of a > shape, and a black ocellus on the upper portion of the base of the fin. 



The Cohitis scaturigina, McClell. is an elongated variety, the height of the body being about 6^ in the 

 total. 1 have obtained it in Assam. 



Variety, Nemacheilus aureus, Plate CLVI, fig. 4. 



D. ll-12(-5--=,5). Dorsal fin of much less extent than in N. hotia. Lateral-line ceases opposite the 

 posterior end of the dorsal fin. 



This form I consider cannot be a distinct species, as I have received three examples from Poona all with 

 an incomplete lateral-line, whilst the number of rays in the dorsal fin were ^^^.T-y, thus giving all the intermediate 

 forms. The back is not quite so high as is usual, but I find some Assam examples show the intermediate 

 links. 



ITahltat.—Sind, Punjab and throughout India (except the Malabar coast and South of the River Kistna), 



