336 INDIAN CYPRINID^. FceonomincB. 



half feet in length. They are in great request in the market at Suddyah, being 

 a fine wholesome food. They might be propagated in hill streams, but their 

 voracity would be a decided objection to their introduction to fish ponds. 



IV. — B. HEXAGONOLEPUS, J. M. 



PI. 41, f. 3. 



Bohar of the Assamese. 



Length of the head to that of the body is as one to four ; twenty-seven 

 scales along the lateral line, and seven in an oblique line from the base of the 

 ventrals to the ridge of the back. On the anterior part of the body the exposed 

 surfaces of the scales represent hexagonal outlines, the fins are placed as in 

 the preceding species, but the rays of the ventrals as well as those of the 

 pectorals are small. The fin rays are, 



D.12: P.16: V.9: A.7: C.E 



9 



The head is small and little compressed, the snout smooth and slightly 

 rounded, and the postorbitar plates less expanded in this than in any of the 

 other species, having a smooth dorsal spine and large scales. In large sized 

 individuals the back and head, base of the fins and scales are blackish grey ; 

 but the opercular plates, scales, and fins are tipt with yellow. In young ones 

 a leaden hue supplies the place of yellow, and the fins are tipt with black. 



The stomach is about the length of the body, gradually contracting till it 

 joins the intestines, which are thrice the length of the stomach, but of great 

 capacity, expanding in size from their commencement, to about the middle of 

 their length, and again gradually contracting until they reach the vent. In 

 the stomach and intestines I found numerous minute bones of small fishes. 

 Instead of the intestines of this species being disposed in transverse or longi- 

 tudinal folds, they are convoluted transversely. Mr. Griffith remarks that the 

 BoJmr is to be found in all large rivers on the eastern frontier, from the base 

 of the mountains to the situation at which the currents first become languid 



