254 Records of the Indian Museum. [ Von. XT, 
Uses.—This is a large fish, growing to about 3 feet in length, 
which is much esteemed as food. 
Cirrhina reba (H. B.) 
Tamil—Avinjal or Arinjal Kendat. 
This is a common species in large tanks in the neighbourhood 
of Madras; it however does not seem to occur within the city or 
in brackish water. 
Uses.—It is a small fish growing to about g inches in length, 
and not much in demand as food. 
Catla catla (H. B.) 
(C. buchanant of the Fauna of Brit. India.) 
On toth June, 1912 I obtained a fresh specimen in the Chinta- 
dripet Market, Madras which is preserved in the Madras Museum. 
This is apparently the first record of this species south of the 
Kistna. Mr. Wilson informs me that since the introduction of this 
species into the Cuddapah-Kurnool canal by the Fisheries Depart- 
ment, it has found its way into the Pennar river and some of the 
large tanks of the Nellore District. Some tanks further south 
are shortly to be stocked by the Fisheries Department. 
It is a valuable food fish attaining to 6 feet and more in length 
and an inhabitant of fresh and brackish waters. ‘‘It is a very 
strong and active animal and often leaps over the seine of the 
fisherman . . .’’ (H.B.). Growth is said to be very rapid in 
this species. Mr. Mitchell’s specimens, which were only } to 1 inch 
in length when introduced into his tank, had attained a length of 
II inches in the course of five months (Nature, 1875, XIII, 
p.107). In the Godavari river, where this fish is quite common, it 
breeds about August. Young specimens from 2 to 3 inches in 
length are common in that river in January. 
Barbus chrysopoma, C. and V. 
Tamil—Panjela, also Shani Kendai. 
I have referred to this species' a common tank Barbus in 
Madras, though it does not exactly agree with Day’s description 
of the species. The original description by Cuvier and Vallen- 
cienes is very defective.” 
In Madras specimens usually there are 3 or 4 anterior un- 
branched rays in the dorsal fin, the pectoral has 15 rays, the 
number of perforated scales on the lateral line varies from 29 to 
32, the diameter of the eye varies from 4 to 44 in the length of the 
head, there are 1c to 12 rows of scales in front of the dorsal fin, 
| Jerdon (Madras Fourn. Lit. Sc., 1849, p. 314), Thomas (Zank Angling, 
pp- 90-97) and Skeen Dhu (Mighty Mahseer, pp. 6 and 62) record this species. 
from Madras. 
* Gunther, B&. WM. Catalogue, VII, p. 113 (syn.). 
