Cyprinus. gangetic fishes; 289 



rather suddenly at the fin behind the vent. The lateral line 

 forms a curve with the concavity upward. 



The dorsal fin is near the middle of the body, and slopes back- 

 ward with a concave edge. The first of its rays is short, and 

 closely joined to the second, which, like it, is undivided and 

 smooth : the others are branched, and the last is divided to the 

 root. The pectoral fins are much smaller than the head. The 

 ventral fins are of about the same size with the pectorals, reach 

 beyond the vent, and stand at a little distance from one another. 

 The two first rays of each are undivided, the first being very 

 short. The fin behind the vent is in the middle of the tail, and 

 slopes much backward ; the three first of its rays are undivided, 

 and situated close to each other, and lengthen gradually from the 

 first to the third ; the others are branched, and the last of them 

 is divided to the root. The fin of the tall is divided beyond 

 the middle into two sharp equal lobes, and contains nineteen 

 distinct rays, besides several short compacted ones on each 

 side. 



31st Species. — Cyprinus curchius. 



A proper Cyprinus, without tendrils ; with fifteen rays in the 

 fin of the back, and seven in that behind the vent ; and with 

 very small scales. 



The Curchius (Knrchi) is found in the fresh waters of Ben- 

 gal, and is a beautiful fish, from one foot to a foot and a half 

 in length ; but is of little value, as it is full of bones. It is of 

 an oblong compressed form, nearly like the head of a lance, 

 but rather more prominent below than above. The colour is 

 green above and silver below, with fins inclining to olive, and 

 blackish eyes. The dorsal and anal fins are dotted with black, 

 the dots on the latter forming a stripe along the middle of the 

 fin. 



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