﻿Cyprirms. gangetic fishes. 335 



in both ponds and fresh water rivers in every part of the Gan- 

 getic provinces. It grows to three or four inches in length. 



The form resembles the head of a lance, and is much com- 

 pressed. The colours above are green, and below silvery, but the 

 body is somewhat diaphanous, so that membranes like silver, 

 which line the visceral cavity and spine, are visible. The eyes 

 are like silver. 



The head is blunt, oval, and of moderate size. The mouth 

 terminates the head, descends obliquely backward, and is of mo- 

 derate size. The jaws have no lips, and scarcely protrude in 

 opening ; the upper is rather the shortest, ends in a notch, and 

 has a membranous veil projecting from its inner side ; the un- 

 der one is rather sharp. The tongue is sharpish and smooth, 

 as is the palate. Each nostril has only one aperture, and is si- 

 tuated in the middle between the eye and nose. The eyes are 

 on the middle of the cheeks, and are of moderate size and glo- 

 bular. The gill-covers consist of three bones, of which the up- 

 permost is by much the largest, is rounded behind, and mark- 

 ed by a bent line of dots. The membrane of each is exposed to 

 view. The bones supporting the gills on their inside have a 

 row of tubercles. 



The hack is arched with a gentle curve, having before a de- 

 clivity greater than that of the head : its edge is convex. 

 The tail slopes suddenly at the anal fin. The upper lateral 

 line runs straight above the middle of the side ; the under 

 runs downward, terminating above the ventral fins. The vent 

 is behind the middle. The scales adhere loosely, and are 

 small. 



The dorsal fin is nearly in the middle of the fish, and 

 slopes backward : the first of its rays is short, and closely 

 united to the second, both being undivided; the others are 

 branched, and the last is divided to the root. The pectoral fins 



