312 gangetic fishes. Order V. 



46th Species. — Cyprinus chola. 



An opaque Cyprinus of the Puntius kind, with a diffuse spot 

 of a golden colour on the gill-covers ; with one small black spot 

 near the end of the tail ; and with the second ray of the dorsal 

 fin smooth behind. 



The Chola I found in the north-eastern parts of Bengal, 

 where it is found in ponds and other stagnant waters. It is 

 rather deeper in form than the Sophore, and rather more pro- 

 minent above than below. The colour above is green, with a 

 gloss of silver, below entirely silver. The most remarkable 

 spots are mentioned in the specific character, but the dorsal fin 

 is variegated with dots collected in the form of various spots. 

 The fins are olive, except the ventrals, which are tinged with 

 orange. The eyes are silvery. 



The head is small, and narrower than the body. At each 

 corner of the mouth is a tendril. The mouth is small, and de- 

 scends obliquely. The under jaw is the shorter, and along its 

 middle has a slight ridge, on which account, perhaps, the fish 

 should have been placed in the third division, to the fishes in 

 which, however, it has little resemblance. The lips are rather 

 fleshy. The gill-covers are rounded behind, and edged with a 

 broad membrane. 



Both back and belly form arches. The lateral line is bent with 

 a slight curve from the shoulder. The scales are large ; those 

 on the back are dotted towards the root. There are no scale- 

 like appendants above either the ventral or pectoral fins. 



The dorsal fin slopes backward, and has ten rays, of which 

 the two first are undivided, and very thick, the first being very 

 short : the others are branched. The pectoral fins are low, and 

 shorter than the head, and contain about thirteen rays. The 

 ventral fins are as long as the pectorals, and each has nine rays, 

 of which the first and last are undivided. The fin behind the 



