Systomus. INDIAN CYPRINID&. 379 
This sub-family includes the several divisions into which Indian species 
have been separated by Buchanan, under the terms Chela, Barilius, Puntius 
Danio, Marulius, and Cabdio, which were merely characterised by that author 
as having no resemblance to other genera. Indeed it would have been im- 
possible in Buchanan’s time to have assigned positive characters by which the 
Sarcoborine, or their subordinate groups, could be distinguished, without a 
knowledge of the discoveries that have been made by Mr. Macleay. In the 
introduction to the Gangetic Fishes, we are told that to have adopted the im- 
provements introduced by Cuvier, whose system appeared after the M.S. had 
been prepared for the press, would have occasioned a trouble for which there 
would not have been a sufficient counterbalance ; and indeed that system alone, 
without the aid of Mr. Macleay’s views, which appeared about the same time, 
would have afforded very little assistance in this family. It is impossi- 
ble, however, not to admire the excellent notions of natural affinities which 
are apparent in every part of Buchanan’s work, but particularly in. the genus 
Cyprinus, where he was induced to cast aside all respect for systematic writers, 
and to act independently of their authority. All that can be regretted is, that 
more care had not been bestowed by him in characterising the new groups which 
he proposed, of which Chela alone appears to be the only one that has been 
adopted, and that merely from a supposed affinity which it presents to Clupee 
or Herrings. The Chele, however, strictly speaking, consist only of three or 
four aberrant forms, whose affinities lie between the Perilamps and Opsarions. 
I.—Gen. SYSTOMUS, J. M. 
The head is small, oval, and smooth ; the mouth is small, and when opened 
the intermaxilliaries are drawn forward so as to form a somewhat cylindrical 
tube ; the tongue is thick and fleshy ; the dorsal, placed in the middle of the 
back, is composed of rather long, but not numerous rays preceded by a spine, 
and placed opposite to the ventrals ; the body is deep, short, compressed, and 
