106 



FISH GALLERY. 



no barbels, the rami of the mandible are loosely connected, and the 

 dorsal fin is shorter. The Catla attains a length of six feet and a 

 weight of 100 lbs. It ranges through India to the Kistna, and 

 eastward through Bengal and Burma to Siam. 

 Mahseer. The Mahseer or Mahsir or Mosal, Barbus mosal (329, and 

 fig. 53), is recognisable by the strong smooth dorsal spine, seven 

 or eight branched rays in the anal fin, the fleshy lips, and the very 

 large scales, of which there are 25 to 27 along the lateral line. It 

 is the principal freshwater game fish of India, where it occurs 

 particularly in mountain streams. The Mahseer attains a weight 

 of 250 lbs., although the usual size of fish captured is 12 to 15 lbs. 

 Specimens under ten pounds are good table-fish, but the flesh of 

 larger fish is coarse and oily. The Mahseer is a carnivorous fish, 

 preying chiefly on fishes. 



Fig. 53. — Mahseer, Barbus mosal. 



Barbel* The only species of Barbus found in British waters is the 

 Barbel, Barbus vulgaris (327), and this is restricted to the valleys 

 of the Thames and Trent. On the continent the Barbel abounds 

 in almost all the rivers of Central Europe. The Barbel is long for 

 a Cyprinoid fish ; the head is elongated, with a projecting fleshy 

 upper lip and small eyes set high up and far back. Four barbels 

 hang down from the upper lip, two from the fore part of the 

 snout and two from the angles of the mouth. It is from these 

 conspicuous " feelers " that the fish takes its popular name. 

 Specimens of 18 lbs. have been taken from the Thames, but at 

 the present day it is rarely that one over 12 lbs. is caught. The 

 Barbel are sociable fishes and collect in shoals where food is 



