﻿324 GANGETic FISHES. Order V. 



has eight rays, of which the first is undivided. The pectoral fins 

 are low, and sharp above : each contains about nine rays ; but 

 they are indistinctly visible. The ventral fins are small, each 

 containing only seven rays. In the fin behind the vent there 

 are sixteen. The tail fin ends in a crescent, or sinus ; but its 

 rays, on account of their slenderness, and the brightness of the 

 colours, cannot be counted. 



59th Species. — Cyprinus chapalio. 



A Cyprinus of the Danio kind, with three blue stripes on 

 each side, with the body slightly compressed, and with two 

 tendrils shorter than the head. 



The Chapalio is a very beautiful fish, little longer than the 

 Rerio^ to which it has a strong resemblance. It is found in 

 the ponds of Bengal, l^heform, like that of the Minnow, {Cy- 

 prinus phoxinus,) is oblong, very slightly compressed. The 

 blue coloured stripes on the sides are separated by interme- 

 diate ones of gold or silver. The back is dusky, the belly 

 white. There are five blue stripes on the fin of the tail, and 

 three on that behind the vent. 



The head is small, and blunt. The tendrils, which proceed 

 from the corners of the mouth, are slender, and shorter than 

 the head. The mouth descends obliquely backward. The 

 under ^"aw is rather the longest. The gill-covers end in a point. 



The back forms a slight arch. The belly projects consider- 

 ably. The lateral line is straight, high up on the side, and 

 smooth. The vent is near the middle. The scales are large, 

 and adhere firmly. 



The back fin is behind the middle, its edge is arched, and it 

 contains nine rays, of which the first is short and undivided, 

 and the others branched. The pectoral fins are low, shorter 

 than the head, and sharp above ; each has twelve rays. The 



