On the fresh-water Fishes of India. 569 



the most part carnivorous Barbels, which prey upon smaller 

 species. 



These large scaled Barbel there attain a gigantic size, one 

 specimen in the collection of Mr. Griffith being four feet in 

 length. They would also appear to ascend the rapids and enter 

 some of the larger streams in the principal mountain vallies, 

 and young specimens have been found by Mr. Griffith in the 

 rivers at Deyrah Doon and Sadoo, as well as in the Cabul river 

 at Jellalabad, and the streams of the Bolan Pass. Opsarius 

 gracilis, or the Goha of Hindustan, an elegant species which 

 from the green spots on its sides is usually, but erroneously, 

 regarded as Trout, has been found from 15 to 18 inches in 

 length in Deyrah Doon, at the junction of the Sone and Kur- 

 ruch with the larger river, where the difference of tempera- 

 ture between the three streams attracts a large assemblage 

 both of the fishes of the mountains and the plains to one 

 spot. 



The Nepura seems to occur in great perfection at Peshawur, 

 and occurs as high as Lalpore ; it is also abundant in the 

 Dhoon, Roopur, and Sadoo ; and from these situations which 

 are its highest limits, it descends along the great rivers for 

 two or three hundred miles into the plains. 



The streams of the Himalaya and Hindoo Koosh are 

 inhabited by other forms, which the researches of Mr. Grif- 

 fith have been mainly instrumental in bringing to notice. 



The mountain, or small scaled Barbels of the Himalaya 

 were discovered and brought to Europe by Baron Hii- 

 gel about ten years since. It was only in 1839, that their 

 peculiarities were made known, and in the mean time Mr. 

 Griffith's travels in the Mishmee and Boutan Mountains had 

 made us familiar with several species which were distin- 

 guished from the common Barbels of the plains by their small 

 scales, and blunt fleshy snout. The specimens brought to 

 Europe by Baron Hugel were distinguished by a peculiar cleft 

 in the lower part of the body in front of the anal fin, which 



4 B 



