322 INDIAN CYPRINIDiE. Pceonomince. 



existence of several varieties of this species, I thought Buchanan's figure the 

 very worst imaginable, in as much as it does not correspond with his descrip- 

 tion ; in proof of which it is only necessary to mention that although he 

 correctly says the mouth extends straight backwards, i.e. horizontally, yet the 

 figure places its orifice under the head half way between the snout and the 

 eyes, as in the Gonorhynchs ; but when the mouth of C. roJiita is closed, the 

 upper lip, which is rather thick and muscular, is drawn in front of the orifice 

 of the mouth like a projecting snout. There is, however, a small sized variety 

 very common in Calcutta, which corresponds very accurately in every respect 

 with Buchanan's figure, while his description agrees with a larger fish, probably 

 the one I have figured, though there are still other varieties, but they may all 

 be considered as one species. The different characters which it presents are no 

 doubt the result of. domestication. The variety figured by Buchanan is con- 

 stant in its characters, and may be described as having two minute cirri, one at 

 either angle of the mouth ; the length of the head is rather less than the depth 

 of the body, which is almost equal to a third of the length. The back is green 

 and gold coloured, diminishing on the sides ; the upper part of the head, the 

 dorsal, caudal, and anal are dark olive, the pectorals pale, ventrals red. There 

 are forty-three scales on the lateral line, and twelve from the base of the ven- 

 trals to the dorsum. The fin rays are, 



D.15:P.16: V.9: A.7:C.19. 



This is the Ruee figured by Buchanan. The following description refers to 

 the one I have figured which is much larger, and very common in Assam; and 

 it seems to me that Buchanan's description applies more to the latter than the 

 former variety. I have stated the rays of the anal to be eight, while Buchanan 

 makes them seven ; the last ray of that fin is usually double, and sometimes 

 it is difficult to say whether there be one ray more or less than a given 

 number. 



