ABRAMIS FASCIATUS. 229 



lower jaw. The eyes are large^ and the orbital diameter is one-quarter of the 

 leug-th of the head. The mouth cleft is oblique. There is a scarcely apparent 

 median prominence at the symphysis where the two sides of the lower jaw 

 unite. 



The origin of the anal fiu is vertically below the end of the dorsal ; it is as 

 long as the pectoral fin ; its base is equal to half the length of the head ; it is 

 truncated behind. The lower lobe of the forked caudal fin is a little longer 

 than the upper. 



The scales are relatively large, and the free margin shows a fan of twelve to 

 fourteen very fine striae. Each scale of the lateral line has two blackish dots. 



The pharyngeal teeth are conical and curved, arranged in two rows, with 

 five in the outer row and three or four in the inner. Besides these teeth 

 there are several others much smaller, which are not attached to the 

 pharyngeal bones, but placed on the mucous membrane of the pharynx, and 

 are consequently absent in dry specimens. 



The colour on the upper part of the head is greyish-green. The rest 

 of the body is silvery, becoming yellowish on the sides in old individuals. 

 Above the lateral line, and parallel with it, are two blackish bauds, which 

 become more distinct towards the tail. The bands are still visible in in- 

 dividuals deprived of their scales. The iris is silvery. The fins are trans- 

 parent, with a pale red spot at the base of the pectoral, ventral, and anal. 



Genus : Aspius (Agassiz). 



The genus Aspius is intermediate in character between Abramis and 

 Alburnus, and the form of body is similar to the fishes of these genera. The 

 lower jaw projects more or less beyond the upper jaw, which is slightly 

 protractile ; the lips are thin, but divided in the median line in front. The 

 pharyngeal teeth are in two rows, and hooked, with the number 5 '3 con- 

 stant on the one side, and variable on the other, in which the numl)er of teeth 

 may be the same, or reduced by one in each row to 2 '4. The dorsal fin has 

 no spine, and is between the positions of the ventral and anal fins. The anal 

 has never fewer than thirteen rays. Behind the ventrals the abdomen is 

 compressed, and the edge is covered by scales. 



Only one species is found in Europe ; the others are recorded from the 

 Tio:ris and the mountain reo-ion of Hong Kong. 



