Mr. J. M'Clelland on Indian Cyprinidae. 45 



the back. The fins partake of the sober hues of the adjoining 

 parts of the body, the pectorals and ventrals, as well as the 

 branchial membranes and irides, usually displaying after death 

 a slight blush of red, caused by the capillary effusion of blood 

 in those parts. Of the species with which I am acquainted 

 not one possesses a brilliant spot of any pure colour ; but 

 when we approach the limits of the next group, we begin to 

 find in the Gonorhynchs obscure dark spots on either side of 

 the tail of some of the species, as G. bimaculatus. 



21. But, on the other hand, as soon as we cross the verge 

 of the herbivorous group and enter the carnivorous, we find 

 such spots as those alluded to become brighter and more nu- 

 merous, and the opercula and fins to be stained with yellow 

 and red in deep and natural tints. To Systomus, the first ge- 

 nus of this group, the Gold-fishes*, commonly called Golden 

 Carp, belong. The intestinal tube of the Systoms, though only 

 thrice the length of the body, or half the length of the abdo- 

 minal tube in those herbivorous species in which it is short- 

 est, is nevertheless twice the length of the same organ in any 

 of the other Sarcoborince. As we advance in this subfamily 

 from the Systoms towards the Opsarions, we find, as has been 

 shown, the abdominal tube diminishing in length ; and in pro- 

 portion as this takes place, and the habits of species become 

 more carnivoi'ous, mc observe the brilliancy of the colours be- 

 comes more remarkable. 



22. The Perilamps, as already stated, are followed by the 

 Leuciscs. In these the diversity of colour is not great, but is 

 compensated for by the metallic brilliancy of the nacre, or sil- 

 very pigment with which the scales and opercula are covered, 

 and from ^'^ hich the genus has derived its name, Leuciscus, 

 Alhus, or white fishes, though not applicable to all the species ; 

 for there is one which is marked on each side with the bright 

 longitudinal streak of the Perilamps, and, like the blending of 

 the markings already observed between the Paonominfe and 

 Sarcoborime, the species in question, Leuciscus lateralisf, 

 seems to unite the white fishes with the Perilamps. 



2.3. The Perilamps in their structure naturally follow the 

 Systoms, and present numerous bright longitudinal lines of 

 various colours, but particularly blue on their sides. They are 

 all small species, of little or no direct utility to man ; nor is it 

 possible to account for the peculiar brilliancy of their colours 

 in any other way than as an instance of that inscrutable de- 



* Cijprimis auratas auctorum. 



f Cijp. Duiiiconius, Buch., which appears to me to be identical witli Cyp. 

 /liijanOf id. ; but if not, the latter species, on accoiuit of certain peculiarities 

 about the mouth which seem to be wanting in tlie former, must be referred 

 to the Perilamps. 



