330 gangetic fishes. Order V. 



The Rasbora is found in the ponds of Bengal, and has a very 

 strong resemblance to the Dcmiconius, but is rather larger. The 

 form resembles that of the head of a lance, but is only slightly 

 compressed. The colours above are green, with many small 

 dots, and below silver. On each side are two longitudinal faint 

 contiguous stripes, the upper golden, the under dotted with 

 black. The fin of the tail is yellow, with the hinder edge 

 stained black. 



The head is oval, sharpish, and of moderate size. The mouth 

 is small, and descends a very little backward. The jaws pro- 

 trude in opening; the under is rather the longest, and ends in 

 a sharp point ; the upper ends in a notch. The eyes are high, 

 rather large, and convex, and have circular pupils. Each gill- 

 cover has three plates, and is rounded and dotted. 



The back before the fin forms a curve that slopes rather sud- 

 denly at the nape. The lateral line is low. The vent is behind 

 the middle. The tail contracts suddenly at the fin behind the 

 vent. The scales are large, adhere slightly, and are dotted and 

 marked with lines diverging from a centre. 



The dorsal fin is near the middle, slopes backward, and has 

 nine rays, of which the first is short, and, like the second, is un- 

 divided, the others being branched, and the last divided to the 

 root. The 'pectoral fins are low, shorter than the head, and 

 sharp above : each has thirteen rays. The ventral fins are small, 

 and close together, each having nine rays, of which the first and 

 last are undivided. The anal fin, placed near the vent, slopes 

 with a concave edge, and contains eight rays, of which the three 

 firs tare undivided, the second being longer than the first, and 

 shorter than the third : the others are branched ; and the last 

 is divided to the root. The fin of the tail consists of two lobes, 

 of which the under one is the longest ; and both contain nine- 

 teen distinct rays, besides several short compacted ones. 



