490 PHTSOSTOMI. 



with, a spme._ Ventral with six rays and situated helow the rayed dorsal. Anal long (47-50 rays). Omdal forked. 

 Air-vessel tuhiform, and as in AiUa. No amllary pore. 



SYNOPSIS OP INDIVIDUAL SPECIES. 



1. Eu^opiichthys vacha, D. -f, A.^Ifr- Silvery. India and Burma. 



1. Eutropiichthys vacha, Plate CXIV, fig. 6. 



PimelodMS vacha. Ham. Bucli. Fish. Gang. pp. 196, 378, pi. 19, f. 64. 



Bagrus vacha, Cnv. and Val. xiv, p. 392 ; Bleeker, Beng. p. 56. 



Paohypterus pimctatus, Swainson, Pistes ii, p. 306. r^ ■, a 



Eutropiichthys vacha, (Bleeker), Giintlier, Catal. v, p. 38 ; Day, Proc. Zool. Soc. 1869, p. 306. 



Butchua and Namdi-hutchaa, Ooriali; Chel-lee, Sind. ; Nee-vmah, N. W. Prov. ; Viehd, Beng. ; Nga-myen- 

 houhan and Katha-ioung, Bnrmese. 



B. xi, D. i 1 0, P, 1/13-16, V. 6, A. rfifr, C. 17. 



Length of head 6i to 5t, of caudal 6, height of body 6 to 5|- in the total length, ^i/es— with broad 

 adipose lids, diameter 3|- to 3f in the length of the head, 1 diameter from the end of snout, and 1 to li apart. 

 Width of the head equals its length behind the middle of the eyes. Cleft of mouth rather oblique, its extent 

 being 1/4 more than the width of the, gape : the angle situated under the middle or hmd third of the_ eyes : 

 snout compressed and pointed, the upper jaw being shghtly the longer. 5ar6eZs— the nasal pair reaching to 

 the hind edge of the head or even slightly further : maxillary ones to the end of preopercle or even as long as 

 the head : the mandibular ones,, which arise on a transverse line across the chin, are rather shorter. 

 ygei?i— sharp ones in the jaws, in a pyriform band on the palatines, which with those on the vomer form an 

 uninterrupted band, that nearly touches the band on the upper jaw. J%is— dorsal spine thin, serrated 

 posteriorly, and usually as long as the head excluding the snout. Pectoral fin reaches the base of the ventral, 

 its spine is rough externally, serrated internally, and as long as that of the dorsal. Ventral situated under the 

 posterior dorsal rays, and only extends half-way to the anal. Free portion of the taU as high as long. 

 Colours — silvery, grayish along the back : pectoral and caudal usually edged with black. 



Variety Eutropiichthys Burmannims has A. -^, and its nasal barbels almost reach to the dorsal fin : the 

 maxillary to the middle of the pectoral spine, whilst aU the others are longer than the head. The pectoral 

 spine is serrated externally, and reaches the anal fin. 



Habitat. — Prom the Punjab through the large rivers of Sind, Bengal, Orissa, and variety E. Bwmumnicus 

 in Burma. It attains upwards of a foot in length. It is gaod eating, 



Genus, 23 — Ambltceps, JBlyth. 



Branchiostegals- twelve. Qill-openings wide, the gill-memlranes not confiuent with the shin of the isthmus, 

 notched as far forwards as the chin. No thoracic adhesive surface. Head covered with soft shin. Eyes small, 

 subcutaneous. Mouth ' anterior : gape wide. Nostrils close together, the posterior hami/ng a barbel. Teeth in jaws 

 villiform: palate edentulous. Anterior dorsal fin enveloped in shin, having one spine and six rays. Pectoral 

 with a concealed spine. Ventral with six rays, inserted behind the vertical from the posterior margin of the rayed 

 dorsal. Anal rather short (9 to 12 rays'). Oamdal forked. Air-vessel almost enti/rely enclosed in bone. No' 

 axillary pore. 



Geographical distribution. — Small fishes inhabiting the fresh waters of India and Burma, usually on or 

 near hills. Griffith observes (Cal. Joum. K". Hist, ii, p. 564) respecting certain fish from the Mydan Valley in 

 Afghanistan,' " the most remarkable fish is a dark coloured loach-like Silwrus, which is not uncommon about 

 Jubraiz." 



I have a lai^e series of this fish, and they show such diversities tha"t it appears to me that all are varieties 

 of one species. 



SYNOPSIS OF INDIVIDUAL SPECIES. 



1. AmUyceps mangois, A. 9-12. Maxillary barbels to end of pectoral spine. Himalayas from Nangra 

 and Darjeeling. Jumna and the Behar district, also Burma. 



1. Amblyceps mangois, Plate CII, fig. 6, and CXVII, fig. 1. 



Pimelodus mangois. Ham. Buch. Fish. Ganges, pp. l69, 379 ; Bleeker, Beng. p. 68. 

 Amblyceps mangois, Blyth, P. A. S. of "Beng. 1860, p. 153 ; Giinther, Catal. v, p. 190 ; Day, Proc. Zool. 

 Soc. 1869, p. 524. 



Amblyceps cceowtiens, Blyth, P. A. S. of Bengal, 1858, p. 282 ; Giinther, Catal. v, p, 190, 

 Amblyceps temdspinis, Blyth, 1. c. 1860, p. 153 ; Giinther, Catal. v, p. 190. 

 Akysis Kwzii, Day, Proc. Zool. Society, 1871, p. 703. 

 Billi, "a cat," and Sudaal, Punj. 



B. xii, D. 1 I, 0, P, 1/7, V. 6, A- 9-12. (fif), C. 19, Vert. 12/23, 



