( 20 ) 



on the hack. Tlie family of cai'ps is diviclcd into three 

 Bub-famiUcs; the little loaches, Cobiltdinai, Avhich extend 

 throughout tlie length and breadth of the Indian and Burmese 

 i'resh-waters, from a sea level to many thousand feet above 

 it, even breeding in places where the rivers are almost entire- 

 ly replenished by melting snows. In all is the air-vessel 

 more or less enclosed in bone. In those species found 

 liigh up amongst the hills and in snow-fed rivers when 

 ascending up to near their sources, as in Nemacheilus, it 

 appears to be invariably so : whilst in the larger Bolia, which 

 mostly is taken in the plains or liases of hills, the posterior 

 portion of the air-vessel is wholly or partially free in the 

 abdominal cavity, only its anterior portion having an osseous 

 capsule. It is remarkable that the single genus of this sub- 

 family which is found high up in the hill ranges, Nemacheilus, 

 is destitute of any odensive or perhaps defensive spine under 

 the eye, but wliicli is possessed by every genus in the })lains, 

 as Apua, AcanthophlhaUmis, Acanthopsis, Cohiiis, Lepido- 

 cephalicltthys, Boiia and Jo.rdonia. Miscjurnus has been 

 omitted as not found in India, but it has been taken in the 

 hill ranges beyond Upper Burma ; it has no orbital s^iine. 

 Loaches form excellent food for the larger fishes, and arcj 

 also esteemed for this purpose by the natives of India. 



XXXV. The second sub-family of the carps arc the 

 Second sui..f,„niiy of carps, saud-grubbcrs, HomaloptermcB : they 



Saiuij^rubbLis, iiuving no air- havc uo air-vcssel, are insignificant 

 ^■^^^"^^ ■ in numbers and size, and reside under 



stones in streams along the bases of hills or at moderate 

 elevations. 



XXXVI. The third, largest and most important sub- 

 Third sub-family of carps, air- family are the true carps, Cypriniiue, 



vessel not enclosed in bone. ^\^ic\\ are generally distri1)uted and 



ihe bill carps subdivuled into . o •' 



ron-migratury and migratory arC mOSt important aS lOOd : all liaVC 



*"'''"^- the air-vessel free in the abdominal 



cavity. Very few are merely vegetable feeders ; the barbels, 

 Bavhiis, appear to be all carnivorous or omnivorous, and take 

 the place in Indian rivers supplied by trout in the more 

 northern climes. These carps are divisible into those oi' 

 the hills and those of the plains. The hill carps, again, must 

 be sub-divided into those which " permanently" reside there, 

 and those which are occasional or periodical visitants 

 that ascend for the purpose of breeding, or to obtain a 

 change in tlieir food. Strictly predaceous fishes do not 

 appear to be found in hiily districts. The noii-mi(/)'ato}'y hill 

 carps furnish some of ihe most valuable articles of Jbod 



