228 MR. F. DAY ON THE FISHES OF AFGHANISTAN. [Apr. 6, 



articulated ; the height of its anterior rays equals the length of the 

 base of the fin ; its last ray divided to its base. Pectoral inserted 

 below the middle of the height of the body, it is nearly as long 

 as the head. Ventral short, its length equalling that of the post- 

 orbital length of the head ; it is inserted beneath the first divided 

 dorsal ray. Anal commences very slightly nearer the base of the 

 caudal fin than the insertion of the ventral ; it is rather more than 

 twice as high as it is wide at its base. Caudal forked, lower lobe 

 the longer. Scales : the two rows just above the lateral line are 

 rather enlarged ; four rows between the lateral line and insertion of 

 the ventral fin. Lateral Ime slightly concave, passing to the centre 

 of the base of the caudal fin. Colours : silvery, lightest along the 

 lower two thirds of the body ; " when fresh, they had brilliant scarlet 

 spots on their bodies and below their gills " {Duke). Fins grey, 

 darkest externally, and with a light outer edge. 



Habitat. Quetta: two examples captured Oct. 18, 1877, one 6, 

 the other 6i inches in length. 



The extensive genus Barhus, of which at least seventy species, 

 besides many varieties, have been recorded from India, Ceylon, aud 

 Burma, does not appear to be largely represented in Afghanistan. 



Barbus tor, Ham. Buch. 



Dr. Duke's collection'contains one specimen of the true Mahseer, 

 9|^ inches in length. It is of the variety in which the central lobes 

 to the upper and lower lips are not well developed. I found this 

 species likewise pretty abundant on the Sind side of the Beluchistan 

 range of hills. Griifith alludes to having taken the Mahasir, and also 

 a Barbus closely allied to it, from Gurmah, where there exists a 

 branch stream faUing into that of the Bolan Pass. In the Bolau 

 rivers he observed them {B. tor) in abundance, but not attaining 

 any size, the largest weighing perhaps 3 lb. 



Barbtjs milesi. 



B. iii. D. 13 (fV). P. 13. V. 8. A. 2 | 7. C. 19. L.l. 39. 

 L. tr. 6i I 7|. 



Length of head 4|, of caudal fin 5|, height of body 4| in the total 

 length. Eyes : diameter 4| in the length of the head, 1| diameter 

 from the end of the snout, and also 1 k apart. Snout somewhat com- 

 pressed and pointed ; mouth anterior, upper jaw slightly overlapping 

 the lower. Lips thick, but no continuous fold behind the symj)hysis 

 of the lower jaw ; no lobes to the lips : the posterior extremity of the 

 maxilla reaches to beneath the front edge of the orbit. The greatest 

 width of the head equals two thirds of its length. Barbels : a 

 thin maxillary pair about a half as long as the orbit. Teeth pharyn- 

 geal, 4, 3, 2 I 2, 3, 4, rather crooked and pointed at their outer ex- 

 tremity. Gill-rakers short and widely separated. Pseudobranchiae 

 present. Fins : the dorsal commences rather nearer the base of the 

 caudal than to the end of the snout ; its last undivided ray is osseous, 

 strong, serrated, and as long as the postorbital portion of the head ; 



