Gobio. INDIAN CYPRINID^. 359 



the head and caudal ; the colours of the back as well as of the caudal and dorsal 

 fins are usually grey : the lower parts as well as adjacent fins are greyish white, 

 with a yellowish tinge often at the base of the fins as well as on the under 

 jaw. The caudal and dorsal fins, together with some of the scales are often tipt 

 with a darker grey ; the lips and snout are thin and hard, the latter is however 

 prominent. The fins are small and feeble, and the dorsal may be said to con- 

 tain either eleven or ten rays, according as the last may be more or less 

 divided, and the first, which is usually nothing more than a small point situated 

 close to the root of the second, may happen to be more or less developed, but 

 the rays may generally be stated as, 



D.IO: P.19: V.9 : A.7 : C.19. 



The alimentary canal is a small but lengthy tube, equal to above eight 

 lengths of the entire fish including the head and caudal ; the liver is disposed 

 in several detached glands, as in the last described species. There are thirty- 

 six scales along the lateral line, and about twelve rows from the base of the 

 ventrals to the dorsum; the scales are long, and on each there is a tube extend- 

 ing from the base towards the apex for the transmission of mucous to the 

 surface of the body, the same as the tube forming the lateral line, but smaller ; 

 and as these tubes are connected with a glandular structure beneath the scales, 

 the latter consequently adhere more firmly to the body than they do in other 

 species. After a specimen has been kept in spirits for a time, and then 

 exposed to the air until it becomes dry, the scales will be found to present a 

 succession of depressions extending along the middle of each row, caused 

 by the contraction of the mucous ducts which draw the middle of the scales 

 inward, by observing which the peculiarity of this species may be detected. 

 Even in the living state this peculiarity may be observed. 



