﻿282 GANGETIC FISHES. Oi'det V". 



semblance to our Dace, (Cyprinus Leusiscus.) On the scales of 

 the sides, towards the back, are little dark lines and dots, form- 

 ing irregular longitudinal stripes. The fins of the back and tail 

 are blackish. The eyes are green and silver. 



The head is bluntish, oval, and narrower than the body. In 

 some individuals I have observed a minute tendril on each side 

 of the upper jaw ; in others I have not been able to trace these 

 organs. The mouth descends obliquely with an arch, and is of 

 moderate size. The jaws are nearly equal in length, and do not 

 protrude in opening ; the upper has a notch at the end. There 

 are scarcely any lips ; but, in place of the upper, are two small 

 lateral bones. The tongue is blunt, smooth, and tied down. 

 The palate is smooth. The nostrils are near the eyes, which 

 are round and large, with small pupils, the longest diameter of 

 which is vertical. Each gill-cover is rounded behind, contains 

 three plates, and exposes to view its membrane. 



The body is covered with large ill fixed scales. The edges 

 of both hack and belly are convex. The lateral line descends 

 with a curve parallel to the belly, and is situated below the 

 middle of the side. 



The first ray of the dorsal fin is short, and closely joined to 

 the second, which, like it, is undivided ; the others are branch- 

 ed. The pectoral fins are shorter than the head, and each has 

 sixteen rays, of which the first is undivided, and slightly in- 

 dented on the edge. The ventral fins are still shorter, and 

 close to one another. The first ray of each is undivided, and 

 the others branched. The anal fin is near the vent, and is 

 nearly triangular : the first of its rays is short, and closely con- 

 joined with the two next, which, like it, are undivided ; the 

 others are branched, the last of them being divided to the 

 root. The fin of the tail is divided into two lobes, and has 



nineteen distinct rays, besides short compacted ones. 



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