570 



On the fresh-water Fishes of India. 



is bounded laterally with scales of peculiar form, and thence 

 named Schizothorax. The annexed figures which represent 

 the bones of the head in these species, shew that as previously 

 described they embrace two distinct groups, known by the elon- 

 gation of the head. Fig. 1 

 represents the bones of the 

 head and jaws in Schizo- 

 thorax esocinus, Heck, and 

 Fig. 2 the same bones in 

 Schizothorax plagiostomus, 

 id. The first is the type of 

 Schizothorax proprius, and 

 the latter of Oreinus, a sub- 

 division which the collec- 

 tions of Mr. Griffith are suffi- 

 cient to establish, and which 

 in the descriptions which 

 follow, we have noticed in 

 more detail. The peculiarity 

 of these mountain Barbels 

 depends in a great measure 

 on the union of the maxil- 

 lary and intermaxillary bones, which renders them incapable 

 of protruding the mouth forward in reaching their prey as the 

 Mahaseer, and all the large scaled Barbels do. Mr. Griffith 

 has, however, discovered an intermediate group, which while 

 it presents the small scales and anal cleft of the mountain 

 Barbels, possesses the protractile mouth of the large scaled 

 Barbels of the plains, and of this interesting sub-genus 

 which we have named Racoma, Mr. Griffith brings to light 

 five undescribed species from the sources of the Oxus, the 

 Helmund, and of the Cabul river. 



These discoveries will render the genus Barbus of Cuvier, 

 which depended at first on a few isolated species, one of the 

 most perfect groups in Natural History. Mr. Griffith did not 



