5876.] MR. F. DAY ON THE FISHKS OF YARKAND. 791 



12. SCHIZOPYGOPSIS STOL1CZK.E. 



Schizopygopsis stolklcce, Steind. Verh. z.-b. Ges. Wien, 1866, p. 

 785 ; Giinther, Cat. vii. p. 1 70. 



B. W., D. J=J, P. 13, V. 1 1, A. , 2 ,, C. 1.0. 



J— a ' o—b 



Length of head 5 to 5f, of caudal o\ to 5~, height of body 7 to 

 8 in the total length. Eyes: diameter 4 to 5 in the length of head, 

 I to li diameter from end of snout, and 11 to 2 apart. The 

 greatest width of the head equals its length behind the middle of 

 the eyes ; and its height equals its length excluding the snout. 

 Mouth inferior, overhung by the snout ; the maxilla reaches to 

 below the front edge of the eye. A sharp, anterior, horny edge to 

 the mandible. Barbels absent. Fins: the dorsal commences about 

 midway between the end of the snout and the root of the caudal ; 

 its upper edge is nearly straight, oblique ; the fin is as high as the 

 body below it, and one third higher than its base is long ; its last 

 undivided ray osseous and finely serrated posteriorly. Pectoral not 

 quite so long as the head, and reaching rather above halfway to the 

 ventral, which latter, arising below the middle of the dorsal, is 

 slightly the shorter, and does not reach the anal. Anal, when laid 

 flat, reaches the base of the caudal ; it is rather above twice as high 

 as its base is long. Caudal deeply forked. Free portion of the tail 

 as high as long. Lateral line : at first descends gently, and, then 

 reaseetiding, attains the middle of the body opposite the posterior 

 extremity of the dorsal fin. Colours: olive superiorly, becoming 

 white on the sides and beneath ; the whole covered with irregular 

 blackish spots. 



The ova are comparatively large. The serrated dorsal spine is 

 strongest in specimens from Leh. 



These fishes appear to be much attacked by parasites, which 

 occasion yellowish elevated tubercles, not only on the head and 

 body, but also on the dorsal fin. 



One specimen, from Balachi, had a shot (No. 2) imbedded in the 

 isthmus, where the parts around it had healed. 



Hab. Leh or Ladak, Tankse, and fry or small ones from Lukung 

 and Chagra (15,090 feet), all being waters directly or indirectly 

 going to the Indus. Some fry from Sirikol, the waters of which go 

 to the Yarkand river*, Aktash, Upper Kara-kul and Panjah, 

 tributaries of the Oxus or Amu river. It has also been taken at 

 Guari khorsum by Schlagintweit. Largest specimen 8' 5 inches in 

 length. There is also a specimen from Balachi, the streams there 

 being apparently flowing towards the Yarkand river, which goes to 

 the east. 



* I am very dubious of these specimens, and hardly think they can have been 

 obtained from waters that flow into the Yarkand river, as the adults have not 

 been obtained thence. The adult, however, has been taken in the Oxus ; and I 

 find by the diary that on the day the specimens in question were captured the 

 ■camp was at Sirikol, a few miles from a valley where a stream enters the Aksu 

 river, a tributary of the Dyne. 



;V2* 



