BARBUS (PSEUDOBARBUS*) BURCHELLI.—Smith. 



Pisces.— Plate XL No. 1. 



B. supra olivaceo-brunneus ; lateribus subcupreis ; partibus inferioribus argenteo -albis ; pinnis pectoralibus, 



ventralibus, analique ad basin coccineis; cirris quatuor; linea laterali deflexa. 

 Longitudo ab apice nasi ad extremitatem pinnae caudalis, 4 unc. 



Rooye tlerk Carper of the Cape colonists. 



Colour, &c. — Back olive brown, with a metallic lustre ; sides between 

 coppery and golden yellow, finely freckled with minute liver-brown dots ; 

 belly and under parts silvery white. The fins pale yellow, the base of the 

 pectorals, ventrals, and anal scarlet red. Eyes whitish yellow. 



Form, &c. — Figure subovate, prolonged ; dorsal outline slightly arched, 

 abdominal outline anteriorly more curved than the dorsal, posteriorly, like 

 dorsal, nearly straight. Head not quite one- fourth of the length of the fish, 

 its depth four-fifths of its length, the upper surface slightly arched ; gape 

 moderate ; lips very thin ; cirri four, two from the snout, and one from 

 each angle of the mouth, nostrils situated close to the upper and anterior 

 edge of orbits, the posterior opening the largest; sub-operculum rather 

 broad, interoperculum triangular, the apex, which points backwards and 

 downwards semicircular ; humeral plate triangular. The lateral line is 

 slightly deflexed, and consists of a series of slender horizontal tubes, 

 one to each scale. Scales rather small, those towards abdomen largest, 

 the posterior edge of each semicircular, and its external surface towards 

 hinder margin rough from being marked with a number of fine, close-set, and 

 radiating striae. The dorsal fin is situated nearly midway between the snout 

 and base of caudal fin, its base anteriorly directly over base of pectoral fins. 

 The first and second rays of the dorsal and anal fins slender and hard, the 



* Ch. subgen. Pseudobarbi.— -Mouth opening forwards; lips thin and cartilagenous; intermaxillary 

 bones extensible ; nostrils double; four cirri, two from upper lip and one from each angle of mouth ; lateral 

 line consists of a series of slender tubes ; dorsal fin short and commencing nearly directly over base of 

 ventral fins ; intestinal canal long and contorted. 



