228 



INDIAN CYPRINID^. 



appearance and the form of their fins, the only principle of division hitherto 

 adopted in this family, they might be brought into the several sub-genera 

 Cijprinus proprius, Cirrhinus, etc. of the Regne Animal. Buchanan, who 

 published his Gangetic Fishes cotemporaneously with Cuvier's system had not 

 an opportunity of consulting its divisions, while those of Lacepede, Bloch, 

 and previous writers were not reconcilable to Indian species ; Buchanan 

 therefore formed temporary groups for his own convenience, applicable to 

 the local features of the family in this country. The Pungti, like all his 

 other groups, were formed according to native qpinions of their habits un- 

 shackled by artificial views, and being better marked than most genera, 

 Buchanan's Pungti have more or less affinity to each other. 



18. The stomach and intestine of the Systoms are in none of the species 

 I have examined more than thrice the length of the body, and the former 

 which is thick and fleshy, usually contains the remains of insects. The 

 mouth is small, and when opened, the intermaxillaries project so as to form 

 a narrow tube, — hence their generic name. 



It is in the Systoms we first perceive a tendency to the hook or 

 prominence on the apex of the lower jaw after quitting the herbivorous 

 genera, and for this reason, as well other peculiarities which appear to point 

 them out as a typical or most perfect group, they are placed first in the list 

 of carnivorous genera. 



19. The Leuciscs or white fishes, succeed the Perilamps. In this genus 

 the prominence on the lower jaw is more distinct, and I have restricted 

 the genus to such as possess this character, having at the same time the 

 dorsal and anal small, the former placed anterior to the latter. They are 

 all carnivorous, but not constructed for leaping above the surface like the 

 Perilamps, nor for springing like the Opsarions ; although the shortness of 

 the intestines, size of the stomach, and prominence of the tooth on the 



