Cyprinus. gangetic fishes. 291 



to the Tench of Europe, (Cyprinus tinea;) but they are infe- 

 rior fishes for the table, and all of them have a prominent bel- 

 ly ; while that of the Tench is nearly straight. The Cursa, hav- 

 ing a tendril at each corner of the mouth, has the greatest re- 

 semblance to the Tench, but is an abundantly distinct species. 

 The Cursa has also a considerable resemblance to the Cyprinus 

 capoeta, (Bonnaterre, Tabl. Encycl. p. 191, PI. C. Fig. 411 ;) 

 but that fish has ten rays in each ventral fin. 



The Cursa inhabits fresh water rivers and ponds in the south 

 of Bengal, and is often found from two to three feet in length. 

 It is full of bones, and many of the natives abstain from its 

 use, imagining, that,. if eaten in the same day with milk, it will 

 occasion the disease called elephantiasis. It is of an oblong 

 compressed form, and silver colour, with a dusky back. All the 

 fins, except the pectorals, are blackish, with numerous dots. 



The head is oval, blunt, and small. The tendrils are minute. 

 The nose projects a little beyond the mouth, is fleshy, and per- 

 forated with a good many callous pores. The mouth is small 

 and straight. The lips are fleshy and pendulous, the upper one 

 having no bones. The nostrils are in the middle between the 

 jaw and eye. The eyes are high, and of moderate size, with the 

 longest diameter of the pupil vertical. Each gill-cover is round- 

 ed behind, consists of three plates, and exposes its membrane. 



Above each ventral fin is a small scale-like appendant. The 

 back slopes down to the head. The belly is arched. The lateral 

 line is rather high, and is bent down in the middle. The vent 

 is behind the middle. 



The dorsal fin occupies the middle of the back, and slopes 

 backward with a hollow edge : the three first of its rays are un- 

 divided, and the first is very short ; the others are branched, 

 and the last of them divided to the root. The pectoral fins are 

 low, sharp above, and smaller than the head : each has seven- 



