THE MAHSEER AND THE MURRBL IN CEYLON, 19 



THE MAHSEER AND THE MURREL IN CEYLON. 



By A. WiLLEY. 



n^HE Mahseer is probably the most admired game fish of India, 

 -*- and, in the opinion of experts, shows more sport than the 

 salmon ; not that it sustains so long a contest, but makes a more im- 

 petuous rush.* It is known to occur in the perennial rivers of the 

 Bengal, Madras, and Bombay Presidencies, but anglers are not 

 altogether satisfied that it occurs in Ceylon, although ichthyologists 

 are aware that it does {cf. Day, " Fishes of India," p. 307). 



Fig. 12. Bai-bus tor. Sketch based upon a figure in Day's "Fishes of India." 



The fact is that the mahseer is an exceedingly variable kind of 

 barbel, exhibiting both local and individual variations, and 

 different specimens may appear, at first sight, to be utterly dis- 

 tinct, owing to the circumstance that certain individuals possess 

 a curious bilabiate growth proceeding from the upper and lower 

 lips, while others, for some unaccountable reason, have no such 

 lobes.f Whether or not this is a sexual character or a seasonal 

 variation or a mere sport, I am unable to say. The specimen 

 which I have examined, caught by Mr. C. A. Hartley in the 

 Sitala-ganga, in which the processes were well developed, was a 

 young male. 



* Thomas, H. S., " The Rod in India." Mangalore, 1873. I am indebted to this book 

 for details concerning the habits of the Mahseer. I also take this opportunity of 

 acknowledging with thanks the receipt of specimens of the Ceylon mahseer from 

 Mr. C. A. Hartley of Maskeliya and from Mr. A. C. W. Clarke of Pundalu-oya. 



fThc bilabiate form of the mahseer bears a striking resemblance to a fish 

 recently described by Mr. G. A. Boulenger from the Kenya District in East Africa, 

 under the name BarbuK lahlatim. u. sp. (P. Zool. Soc, London, 1902. p. 223. 

 pi. XVII.. Rg.,I.) 



