108 DE. J. E. T. AITCHISOX OX THE ZOOLOGY OF 



The latter are a skin 13 inches long, not in a good state of preservation, and three 

 youug examples in spirit, of not quite half that size. These young specimens agree 

 very well with the types named by M'Clelland, and show that the strength of the barbed 

 dorsal ray is subject to some variation. The snout is rather produced, and the prse- 

 orbital considerably longer than deep. The anal fin, if laid backwards, does not reach 

 the caudal. One of the specimens has the lower jaw provided with a sharp-edged horny 

 sheath. 



The larger example differs in some not unimportant points from tlie smaller ones ; 

 but, partly because it is not in a sufficiently good state of preservation, the snout being 

 shrunk, with a portion of its integuments destroyed, and partly because we are at present 

 entirely ignorant as to the extent to which the species of Schitotliorax vary, I consider 

 it better to refer it to the same species as the others. 



The dorsal spine is very conspicuously more slender, and the anal fin extends some- 

 what beyond the root of the caudal. But, perhaps, the most significant point of differ- 

 ence is the shape of the prseorbital, which is much shorter than in the smaller specimens, 

 only as long as deep, and subtriangular in shape. Kothiug can be said about the shape 

 of the mouth and the length of the barbels, so that it would be impossible to characterize 

 the species, if distinct it be, from this specimen. 



5. ScHizoTHORAX RAULiNSii, sp. n. (Plate XII. figs. A, B.) 



Scales very small, in about IGO ti'ansverse series above the lateral line ; those of the 



lateral line are rather larger and more distantly placed, about one hundred in number. 



There are about thirty-two in a transverse series between the dorsal spines and the 



lateral line, and about twenty-seven between the lateral line and the root of the ventral 



fin. Anal scales rather small. Mouth inferior, crescent-shaped, nearly horizontal, as 



broad as long ; upper jaw somewhat projecting beyond the lower (lower jaw without 



horny slieath in any of the specimens) ; lower labial fold interrupted in tlae middle. 



The barbels, as far as I am able to judge from dried specimens, are about as long as the 



eye, the upper extending to the front margin, the lower to the hind margin of the orbit. 



Prteorbital twice as long as deep. Origin of the dorsal fin much moi^e distant from the 



end of the snout than from the root of the caudal fin, and opposite to the root of the 



ventrals. The osseous dorsal ray is of moderate strength and armed with barbs behind. 



Anal fin narrow, high, but not extending to the caudal in the adult specimen when laid 



backwards. The length of the head is rather less than one fourth of the total. The 



length of the snout exceeds that of the eye, which is one sixth of the length of the head 



in specimens fifteen inches long, and two ninths in examples of about one third that size. 



The pectoral equals the length of the head without snout, and terminates at a great 



distance from the root of the ventral. Caudal fin rather deeply black. Coloration 



uniform, without spots ; sides and lower part silvery. 



This description and figure A are taken from a skin fifteen inches long, which 

 Dr. Aitchison obtained on November the 21st in the Hari-rud River, near Khusan, and 

 the characteristics of which I cannot reconcile with any of the descriptions given by 

 Kessler. The species whicli come nearest to it, like Schizothonix argentatus, affiiiis, &c., 



