290 report— 1845. 



Cyprinus nigro-auratus, Lacepede, v. p. 547. pi. 16. f. 2; C. et V. xvi. 

 p. 73. Icon. Reeves, 119; Hardw. Malac. 1. Chinese name, Hae le, 

 " Sea-carp " (Reeves, Birch) ; Hoi li (Bridgem. Chrest. 16). Length of 

 the drawing \5\ inches. 



If one may judge from the size of the figure, this is the largest true carp that came under 

 Mr. Reeves's observation. Its profile rises very considerably in a bold arch to the dorsal, with 

 a shallow transverse groove before the nostrils and a slight undulation at the nape. The 

 belly is flattish. The height of the body is contained thrice in the total length, and the length 

 of the head four times and a half. The mouth is rather oblique, and the upper jaw goes 

 beyond and somewhat overhangs the lower one. The upper barbels are short*. The lateral 

 line, which is traced on thirty-one scales, is slightly decurved, and descends a little below the 

 middle height, taking a straight course through the middle of the tail after passing [the ven- 

 trals. No streaks are shown on the gill-covers. The long, low dorsal commences behind 

 the tip of the pectorals and before the ventrals, and reaches past the middle of the anal. The 

 pectorals and ventrals are small and rounded. The rays shown in the figure are D. 1|21 ; 

 A. 2|5. The dorsal spine is serrated ; but the anal one, which is longer and stronger, is re- 

 presented as smooth. The colours are not dark, the scales having much silvery lustre : they 

 are shaded at the base with olive-green on the back, and with pale honey-yellow on the lower 

 parts. 



M. Valenciennes mentions that he saw two paintings of this species in the library of Sir 

 Joseph Banks, but I have been able to discover only one of these, and it is the only true Cy- 

 prinus with barbels contained in the collection named ' Icones Fiscium 24, &c.' The figure is 

 10 inches long and 3£ inches high, and its pectoral fin has been omitted. The name of nigro- 

 auratus is not characteristic either of this drawing or of Mr. Reeves's, which show much more 

 lively colours than M. Lacepede describes, as M. Valenciennes has remarked. But for the 

 observation of the latter naturalist, who has examined the Chinese drawings on which M. La- 

 cepede's species are founded, I should have been inclined to quote Mr. Reeves's darkest draw- 

 ing, our atro-virens, as corresponding best with the epithet nigro-auratus. 



Hab. Canton. „ 



Cyprinus sculponeatus, Richardson. Icon. Reeves, 120 ; Hardw. Malac. 

 8. Chinese name, Keih le (Birch); " Clog or Wooden-shoe carp " (Reeves) ; 

 Kik li (Bridgem. Chrest. 21). Length of figure 8f inches. 



This species differs from the preceding ones in form, the dorsal being more flatly arched 

 and the belly more prominent, with a considerable upward slope behind to join the trunk of 

 the tail. The height of the body is contained thrice and one-half, and the length of the head 

 four times and a quarter in the whole length. The lateral line, which is considerably de- 

 curved, but does not descend beyond the middle height, is traced on twenty-nine scales. The 

 barbels are rather short. The dorsal commences over the first ventral ray, and the greater 

 part of the anal is posterior to its termination. The rays shown in the figure are D. 2|l7 or 

 18 ; A. 2|5. The spines are serrated and shorter than the soft rays. A valve is shown be- 

 tween the nostrils. 



The scales have much silvery lustre, and are almost wholly nacry below the lateral line ; 

 but the back is tinted with leek-green, which deepens into blackish-greeh at the base of the 

 scales and forms spots. The edges of the upper scales are also darker leek-green, and the 

 top of the head is of the same colour. There are carmine tints on the lips and tips of the anal 

 and caudal. The pectoral, dorsal and caudal, are leek-green, the ventrals and anal very pale 

 ochre. 



Hab. Canton. 



Obs. The seven species noticed above seem all to be true Cyprini, allied 

 to the common carp of Europe ; and their existence in the Chinese waters 

 shows a marked difference between the ichthyology of that country and of 

 India, which does not appear to possess any member of this group. The 

 Cyprinus semiplotus of M'Clelland is indeed introduced among the true carps 

 with barbels in the ' Histoire des Poissons' ; but this would appear to be from 

 inadvertence, as the figure in the 'Asiatic Researches' (19. pi. 37. f. 2), and 



* On first looking at the figure only the barbels which hang from the corners of the 

 mouth arc seen; hut on examining more narrowly, we may perceive that the painter has 

 drawn the upper barbels lying close to the maxillary. 



