2o8 Records of the Indian Museum. [Voh. XIX, 



so. The dorsal contains relatively few rays and commences 

 slightly in front of the ventrals. The lateral line runs straight along 

 the side of the body to the base of the caudal fin. The scales 

 are large, cycloid and well-developed, but absent on the head. 

 The air-bladder, though more or less degenerate, is relatively large 

 and consists of two parts, one posterior to the other ; it is not 

 enclosed in a bon}' capsule. The pharyngeal bones are compara- 

 tively stout and the pharyngeal teeth are arranged in three 

 rows; they are relatively long and more or less sharply pointed. 



The following ma}^ serve as a ke}^ to the three species of 

 the genus : — 



1. Barbels absent. 



.{a} Air-bladder showing signs of degeneration, 

 fins moderately expanded, curved grooves 

 proceeding backwards and outwards from the 

 angles of the mouth ... ... ... P. balitora. 



((?)) Air-bladder fairly well-developed, paired fins 

 greatly expanded, undersurface of head flat 

 and without any grooves ... ...P. sp. (juv.). 



2. Pair of barbels present. 



(c) Lower lip bilobed, air-bladder quite normal, 



fins moderatel}' expanded ... ...P. tentaciilatiis. 



Psilorhynchus balitora (Ham.-Buch.). 



1822. Cyprinus balitora, Ham.-Buch., Fislies of Ganges, pp. 348, 430. 

 1838. PsilorJiynchits variegatiis, McClelland, Asiatic Researclies, pp. 



300, 430. 

 1842. Cyprinus balitora, Cuv. and Val., Hist. Nat. des Poissoiis. X\'I, 



' .P- 451- 

 1868. Psilorliync/ius balitora, Giinther, Cat. Fish., VII, p. 343. 

 1871. Psilorhynchus balitora, Day, Joiirn. As. Soc. Bengal, p. 106. 

 1889. Psilorhyncl^ns balitora, Day, Fauna Brit. hid. Fish., I, pp.244, 

 245- 



McClelland the author of the genus does not recognise an}' 

 type-species. His figure of Psilorhynchus sucatio {= Cyprinus 

 sucaiio, Ham.-Buch.) looks very much like a species of Homaloptera 

 on account of its elongate snout, but the absence of oral barbels 

 removes it from that genus. Day has put it as a synonym of 

 H. hilineata, but as I have no specimens of this species to refer 

 to, I am unable to confirm his suggestion. P. vanegatus, 

 McClelland is, as he himself states, a synonym of Cyprinus balitora, 

 Ham.-Buch. I take this as the type-species of the genus. 



There are only two specimens in the old collection of the 

 Indian Museum. Both of these are very old and badly preserved 

 and have grown very brittle. The specimen (Cat. No. 940) was 

 presented by Mr. Beavan and is labelled as being the type-speci- 

 men of the species, but there is reason to believe that none of 

 Hamilton-Buchanan's specimens passed into the collection of 

 the Indian Museum. The second specimen (No. 1098) was pur- 

 chased from Day and is the original of his figures in the Fishes of 

 India. 



The condition of these specimens does not permit of any 

 detailed description. I have, however, partially dissected them 



