424 INDIAN CYPRINIDE. Apalopterine 
the seven artificial genera which he has attached as so many dislocated appen- 
dages to a single artificial genus, Cyprinus, in the Regne Animal. :: 
The length of this paper now compels me to take a rapid survey of the 
remaining divisions of the family. The first observation that here presents 
itself, is the very close connexion of the Pecilie, the Lebias funduli, and 
Cyprinodons, which in the Regne Animal form so many distinct genera, in 
consequence of a variation in the number of rays in the branchial membrane, 
while in all other respects they closely correspond. Were the branchial rays 
alone to direct us in the formation of groups, it is evident the Loaches, which 
all have agreed to be distinct, should be embodied in one genus “with 
the Sarcoborine and Peonomine. Since it would be obviously wrong to 
unite such opposite forms in one group merely because they correspond in the 
number of branchial rays, it must be equally so to separate other forms which 
are closely allied because their branchial rays differ. I therefore propose to 
distinguish all the small groups in question by the following character :— 
PAHECILIAN.. 
Head flattened, with minute teeth inserted along the edges of the jaws, caudal 
entire, from four to six rays in the branchial membrane. 
We should then have the following sub-genera forming one natural 
group :— 
1 Pecilia, prop. Schn. Five rays in the branchial membrane, jaws pro- 
tractile, with a single row of teeth. 
2 Lebias, Cuv. Teeth hooked, jaws protractile. 
3 Aplocheilus, J. M. Teeth as in the Pecilia, intermaxillaries fixed. 
4 Fundulus, Lacey. 
and Four rays in the branchial membrane, teeth crowded. 
5 Molinesia, Leseur. 
6 Cyprinodon, Lacep. Six rays in the branchial membrane. 
