4 8 



Records of the Indian Museum. [Vol. XXIV, 



upon a homogeneous layer of protoplasm ; they occupy as much 

 as one-third of the total thickness of the epidermis and their 

 inner ends are broad. The nuclei of the spines are somewhat oval 

 in outline and are placed in the proximal half ; each is surrounded 



by a whitish halo. The pro- 

 toplasm of the spine and of 

 the basal homogeneous layer 

 stains lightly with hema- 

 toxylin, eosin and borax car- 

 mine. The deeper tissue 

 takes up the stain readily. 

 Below the homogeneous pro- 

 toplasmic layer, the tissue 

 consists of several layers of 

 almost, rectangular cells (e. 

 c.) each with a distinct nu- 

 cleus in the centre. The 

 cells diminish in size with 

 the depth of the tissue and 

 become more and more ir- 

 regular in form and arrange- 

 ment. The interspaces be- 

 tween them become broader 

 and in certain cells two 

 nuclei are present. Below 

 these and immediately 

 above the basal epidermal 

 layer {b.c.) there is a tier of 

 small, more or less regularly 

 arranged cells, the nuclei 

 of which are solid, deeply 

 staining ovoidal bodies. The 

 basal layer of epidermal 

 cells is made up of columnar tissue; the nuclei are oval and lie 

 almost iu the middle of the cell, or nearer its upper than its lower 

 ends. The upper as well as the lower limits of the basal cells are 

 hardly distinguishable and both these ends stain lightly. The 

 nuclei appear to be in a state of mitotic division as the chromatin 

 substance in them is greatly diffused. 



The connective tissue (c.t.) below the basal layer of the epi- 

 dermis is very loose and is richly interspersed with cavities (c) of 

 the nature of blood-spaces. The nuclei are greatly elongated 

 and stain deeply. The cell-limits in this tissue are not marked 

 and the whole of the tissue is not so deeply stained as the middle 

 layer of epidermal cells. 



In the genus Garra this form of adhesive apparatus is sup- 

 plemented by the presence of the characteristic disc behind the 

 posterior jaw on the under surface. Before dealing with the struc- 

 ture of the adhesive disc, I propose to give a short account of 

 that of the integument in this genus. 



Text-fig. io. — Transverse section through 

 a portion of the adhesive pad on the outer 

 rays of the pectoral fin in Bhavania annan- 

 dalei. 



s = spine ; e.c. = epithelial cells ; . b.c. = 

 basal epithelial cell ; c.t. = connective tissue ; 

 c = cavities for blood vessels. 



