Oreinus. INDIAN CYPRINID.E. 343 



upturned mouth, its small size compared with the other Barbels, its shorter 

 abdominal canal, and the bright spot or golden tinge on the operculum, 

 while the absence of the tooth on the lower jaw, and of stripes or spots on the 

 body, and the small anal, are characters which must place it with Barbels. 



Sub-Gen— OREINUS, J.M. 



Mouth directed downwards, lower jaw shorter than the upper, snout 

 muscular and projecting, furnished with cirri. Dorsal preceded by a serrated 

 sjoinous ray. Scales small. Intestinal canal and stomach form a more or less 

 capacious tube from five to six lengths of the body. 



The only three species known are herbivorous ; with one, O. progastus, 

 I have been acquainted since my visit to Upper Assam, a second was brought 

 down by Mr. Griffith in June last from Boutan, and a third still more recently 

 by Dr. Macleod from Simla. It was not until I received this last, that I was 

 fully impressed with the necessity of separating them from the true Barbels, 

 not only on account of their herbivorous habits, but of their peculiar form, and 

 the structure of their mouth, which altogether indicate a relation to the Gonor- 

 hynchs, while the intestinal canal and dorsal spine bring them closer to the 

 Barbels, as a subordinate part of which genus we may still consider them. 



I. — O. PROGASTUS, J. M. 

 PI. 40. f. 4. 



Adoee of the Assamese. 

 This species is easily known by its lengthened and fleshy snout, small 

 mouth, and the suborbitar bones forming a narrow band below and behind the 

 eyes, dorsal fin anterior to the middle of the body, with a strong ensiform spine 

 toothed behind ; the abdomen is abruptly enlarged beneath the pectorals, by 

 which character alone it is readily distinguished from all other species of the 



