Systomus. INDIAN CYPRINIDiE. 383 



Colour above dark green or purple, below silvery ; length, about two inches. 

 Though small, this species occurs in such vast numbers as to be extremely 

 important as a wholesome and nutritious article of food ; they are generally 

 taken in casting nets, which at every draught bring up a large number from 

 almost any pond in Bengal and Assam. 



A variety of this species with two rows of dots on the dorsal is figured 

 by Buchanan as Cyp. himaculatus, but as it has two black spots on each side, 

 it should rather have been named quadrimaculatus. 



Buchanan alludes to a species which he named Cyp. tictis, the description 

 of which he postponed in hopes of recovering his drawings which were retain- 

 ed in India. 



VI. — Systomus pyuropterus, J. M. 

 PI. 44. f. 1. 



Depth equal to half the length, but the body and head are thinner, or 

 more compressed than in any of the other species ; there is a black spot on the 

 lateral line over the anal fin ; the second ray of the dorsal fin is strong ; mouth 

 furnished with a small hook on the apex of the lower jaw ; twenty -four scales 

 along the lateral line, and nine in an oblique row from the base of the ventrals 

 to the dorsum. The fin rays are, 



D.9:P.l^: V.9: A.7:C.19. 



Colour above green, below silvery stained with orange on the sides, fins 

 bright red. 



The abdominal canal of this species is thrice the length of the body, exclu- 

 sive of the head and caudal. It is very numerous in ponds in Upper Assam, 

 seldom attaining a larger size than two inches in length. 



