﻿Cyprinus. gangetic fishes. 341 



than the third ; the others are branched, and the last is divided 

 to the root. The tail fin is divided into two sharp lobes, and 

 contains nineteen distinct rays, besides several compacted ones. 



78th Species. — Cyprinus devario. Plate VI. Fig. 94. 



A Cyprinus of the Cabdio kind, with eighteen rays in the fin 

 of the back, and an equal number in that behind the vent. 



The Devario [Debari) is also a pretty common fish in the 

 rivers and ponds of Bengal : in the former it is sometimes a span 

 in length ; but in the latter, where it is most common, it sel- 

 dom reaches half that size. It is a very beautiful animal, of a 

 green colour above, with generally many large irregular golden 

 spots, and a golden gloss : below it is like silver ; and on each 

 side of the tail, extending to the end of the fin, is a bluish 

 stripe, changing in certain lights to green. The fins are yel- 

 low ; the eyes are white, with a golden ring round the pupil. 

 The^brm is much compressed, and deep, with the belly promi- 

 nent. 



The head is oval and blunt, and descends with less slope than 

 that of the back. The mouth is at the extremity of the head, 

 descends obliquely, and is large. The jaw* have no lips, pro- 

 trude in opening, and are nearly equal in length : in the under 

 is a slight roughness, which may perhaps be considered as teeth ; 

 but it is scarcely distinguishable, except to the touch. The 

 tongue is sharpish, tied down, and smooth. The palate is 

 smooth, with a projection on each side. Each nostril, in the 

 middle, between the point of the nose and eye, has only one 

 aperture. The eyes are rather large, high, and globular. The 

 gill-covers are rounded, and expose part of their membranes. 

 The bones supporting the gills are smooth on the inside. 



The back has a convex ridge, and forms a regular curve from 

 the nape to the end of the tail. The ridge below also is convex. 



