INDIAN CYPRINIDiE. 



247 



those of the natatorial types in the other classes, we are struck with the 

 analogy — " a blunt truncated muzzle, an obtuse head with strong jaws 

 for seizing animal food." The short intestines of the Platycara prove their 

 habits to be carnivorous, and though the mouth is not very large the jaws 

 are remarkably strong, composed as in the Gudgeons of two limbs soldered 

 in the middle, but much stronger than in the instance referred to. Among 

 birds, the Owls — the natatorial group of Raptores, and the Fissirostres in the 

 circle of perchers, as well as most of the Natatores are distinguished above 

 other birds for their breadth of wing, and the blunt or flattened form of 

 the rostrum or the head, as has been proved by the philosophical analyses 

 of the class by Vigors and Swainson.* 



46. For the next, or suctorial form (Plate 50, f. 1, 2,) we are indebted 

 to two drawings in Buchanan's collection, which are marked " Stolepho7-us" 

 but the Stolephore {Engraulis Cuv.) or Anchovies, belong to the Clupeidce, a 

 family remarkable for its narrow or compressed forms. The two figures referred 

 to are not compressed nor sharp beneath, so that they could not belong to 

 the genus Buchanan had in view when he named them on the drawings, 

 and this mistake he seems afterwards to have corrected, as the same two 

 species appear unquestionably to be those described in the Gangetic Fishes, 

 pp. 347-8, under the names of Cyprinus Sucatio and Cyj}. Bal\tora.\ 



The muzzle of these species is remarkably flattened and thin, but there 

 is nothing remarkable about the pectoral fins, and the eyes instead of 



* The Pcuciliana: Schn. to vvliicli I have added a sub-genus Aplochelus, as well as the ad- 

 joining genera with flat heads and teeth, I also refer to the same type. Plate 42, figs. 2 3. Plate, 

 55, f. 4. 



t It was probably Buchanan's descriptions of these species Mr. Gray had in view when 

 he bestowed the name Balitora on the genus which I now call Platycara. 



