Opsarius. INDIAN CYPRINIDiE. 413 



colours plain, — at least after having been for a time in spirits. The fin 

 rays are, 



D.9: P.13 : V.9 : A.IO : C.19. 



The stomach and intestine form a tube equal to about the length of the 

 body. 



v.— Gen. opsarius, J. M. 



The body of the Opsarions is either long and slender, or considerably 

 compressed ; the mouth is large, the symphysis of the lower jaw is hard, 

 and received into a fissure in the apex of the upper jaw ; but in the more 

 typical species it is armed with a larger prominence than in others. The back 

 is but slightly raised, but the abdominal margin is more prominent ; the 

 sides are either plain, or marked with transverse green bars or spots. A 

 short dorsal is placed far back upon the body, nearly opposite to a long anal. 

 They are without spines or cirri. 



They afford instances of the shortest alimentary canal in the family, and 

 in no case does the entire tube including the stomach, which is usually longer 

 than the intestine, much exceed the length of the body, though it is occasion- 

 ally much less. 



The abdominal cavity is long, and almost entirely occupied with a 

 strong muscular stomach capable of great dilatation, narrowing in its capa- 

 city gradually to the pyloris, where it is joined by a short fleshy intestine, 

 which gradually contracts towards the vent. The liver consists of two elon- 

 gated lobes extending along the stomach ; the air-vessel is very long and 

 narrow, extending the whole length of the abdomen close under the spine, 

 so as to be less exposed to injury during violent struggles in which the 

 species of this genus necessarily engage with their prey. Their habits are 



extremely voracious and carnivorous, and their whole form constructed for 



3 E 



