﻿Cyprinus. 'gangetic fishes. 267 



that all the species of this division in the Ganges have in com- 

 mon the following circumstances : 



All the marks on their sides, whether bars or spots, are of a 

 black colour. The upper parts are green ; the under parts and 

 eyes are silver. 



The head is oval. The eyes are high, on the sides of the 

 head, and have circular pupils. 



Both edges of the body are blunt. The vent is behind the 

 middle. 



The dorsal fin slopes backward : its two first rays are undi- 

 vided, and closely united, the first being the shortest; the 

 others are branched, and the last divided to the root. The 

 pectoral fins are shorter than the head, and low. The ventral 

 fins are still smaller, and each contains nine rays, except in one 

 species, where there are only eight. The fin behind the vent 

 slopes backward, and its last ray is divided to the bottom. The 

 tail fin has two lobes, except in one species, where it is like a 

 crescent. 



8th Species. — Cyprinus barila. 



A Cyprinus of the Barilius kind, devoid of tendrils, with in- 

 complete bars on each side ; with eight rays in the fin of the 

 back ; and with thirteen in that behind the vent. 



The Barila is common in the rivers of Northern Bengal, 



grows to about three inches in length, and is little valued. The 



form somewhat resembles the blade of a knife. Its colour has 



a yellow tinge on the fin of the tail, and on that behind the 



vent. The bars are disposed in a row on each side. 



The head is sharp and small. The mouth is small, and de- 

 scends obliquely in a straight line. The jaws have scarcely any 

 lips, and protrude in opening : the upper is the longest, and is 

 entire at the end. The nostrils are near the eyes, which are 



