Cyprinus. gangetic fishes. 259 



The head is blunt, and half oval, being flat above. The 

 mouth descends from above, and is of a moderate size. The 

 jaws do not protrude in opening, and the under is rather the 

 longest. The upper lip has no bones. The nostrils are half 

 way between the eye and jaw. The eyes are large, with circu- 

 lar pupils. I am not certain as to the number of rays in the 

 membranes covering the gills, but think that I can count 

 three in each. 



Over the silvery membrane investing the visceral cavity, the 

 ribs are visible. From the commencement of the fin, the back 

 slopes both ways very gently, and its edge is blunt. The belly 

 is more prominent, the sides are perpendicular, and the vent is 

 before the middle. The lateral line runs straight above the 

 middle of the side. The scales are of moderate size, but are 

 so transparent as to be scarcely visible. 



The pectoral fins are low, and longer than the head, and each 

 contains about eight rays. The first ray of each ventral fin is 

 a very long bristle, and the other two are minute. The fin 

 of the tail is divided into two lobes. 



2d Species. — Cyprinus attar. 



A Cyprinus of the Chela kind, with five rays in each ventral 

 fin ; with twenty-five in that behind the vent; and with nine 

 in that of the back. 



The Atpar I have found in the two most remote branches 

 of the Ganges, the Brahmaputra and Yamuna, (Jumna R.) and 

 I have also found it in ponds near the former. It grows to 

 about three inches in length, and is nearly diaphanous, with a 

 gloss on the sides, changing from green to purple. The head, 

 a longitudinal stripe on each side, and the membrane lining the 

 visceral cavity, are silver coloured; and over the latter, nine ribs 

 on each side may be distinguished through the integuments. 



