Opsarius. INDIAN CYPRINID^E. 419 



found in Bengal. It appears to differ from Opsarius cirratus in having 

 larger scales, but the markings and fin rays in both are alike, which made 

 me at one time mistake the latter for Cyprinus hendelisis. 



X. — Opsarius gracilis, J. M. 

 t. 47. f. 1. 

 Cyprinus goha, Buch. 

 Korang, of the Assamese, 



The length of the head to that of the body is as two to five, the body is 

 long and slender, covered by minute scales ; the mouth is widely cleft, and 

 horizontal, extending behind the eyes, which are placed in the anterior third 

 of the head. The dorsal fin is placed over the space between the ventrals and 

 anal ; the pectorals are of moderate size, the ventrals small. The fin rays are, 



D.IO : P.13 : V.9 : A.ia : C.18. 



One or two irregular bars of round green spots on each side ; sides bright, 

 and silvery white ; the back is green, and slightly, but uniformly, raised 

 in the middle. The body is moderately compressed, and the dorsal and 

 ventral margins extend uniformly over the head to the apices of the jaws, 

 which are placed in the axis of the vertebral column ; the apex of the lower 

 jaw is armed with a prominent blunt knob. 



One of the most peculiar characters, perhaps, of this species, consists in 

 the third suborbitar plate representing the corresponding bone of the sub- 

 orbitar chain in the Perch, being expanded, and extended backward behind 

 the eye, causing a remarkable elongation of the head, as in some of the 

 Barbels, especially B. megacephalus. Yet considering the wide interval 

 between these groups, we cannot look upon this peculiarity otherwise 

 than a relation of analogy, similar to that which the compressed and 



