Cyprinus. gangetic fishes. 265 



7th Species. — Cyprinus bacaila. Plate VIII. Fig. 76. 



A Cyprinus of the Chela kind, with nine rays in the ventral 

 fins ; with sixteen in that behind the vent ; with nine in that 

 of the back ; and with all the fins clear as water. 



The Bacaila of Hindustan Proper is one of the most general- 

 ly diffused fishes in the fresh water rivers of India, as I have 

 found it not only in all the Gangetic provinces, but in the heart 

 of the Peninsula. It grows to about six inches in length, but 

 is little valued, being very insipid. The colour is above dusky 

 oreen, below silver. Sometimes, but not always, there is a large 

 cloud-like spot on each shoulder ; and there always are many 

 small well-defined spots along the upper lateral lines. 



The head is bluntish, narrow, and half oval, being flat above, 

 and curved upward below. The mouth is large, and descends 

 obliquely. The jaws protrude in opening, and have no lips ; 

 but, in place of the upper, there are two small bones about the 

 length of the jaw. The upper jaw ends in a notch ; the under, 

 which is the longest, terminates in a turned-up point. The 

 tongue is sharpish, entire, smooth, and tied down its whole 

 length. The palate is smooth, and on each side is protuberant. 

 Each nostril has only one circular aperture, very near the eye, 

 which is globular. Each gill-cover has three plates, is rounded 

 behind, and leaves exposed its membrane. The bones of the 

 mils, on their inner edge, have a row of parallel bristles. 



The back is nearly straight, with a rounded edge. The belly 

 projects with a more considerable curve. Each side has two 

 lateral lines, the upper straight, the under parallel to the edge 

 of the belly. Above each ventral and pectoral fin is a scale- 

 like appendant. The scales are small, thin, and adhere firmly. 



The back fin slopes behind : the first of its rays is short, and, 



with the second, is undivided ; the others are branched ; and 



the last of them split to the bottom. The pectoral fins are very 



l1 



