424 INDIAN CYPRINIDiE. Apalopterin(e 



the seven artificial genera wiiich he has attached as so many dislocated appen- 

 dages to a single artificial genus, Cyprinus, in the Regne Animal. 



The length of this paper now compels me to take a rapid survey of the 

 remaining divisions of the family. The first observation that here presents 

 itself, is the very close connexion of the PcecilicB, the Lebias funduli, and 

 Cyprinodons, which in the Regne Animal form so many distinct genera, in 

 consequence of a variation in the number of rays in the branchial membrane, 

 while in all other respects they closely correspond. Were the branchial rays 

 alone to direct us in the formation of groups, it is evident the Loaches, which 

 all have agreed to be distinct, should be embodied in one genus with 

 the Sarcoboi'ince and PceonomincB. Since it would be obviously wrong to 

 unite such opposite forms in one group merely because they correspond in the 

 number of branchial rays, it must be equally so to separate other forms which 

 are closely allied because their branchial rays differ. I therefore propose to 

 distinguish all the small groups in question by the following character : — 



P^CILIANiE. 



Head flattened^ with minute teeth inserted along the edges of the jaws, caudal 

 entire, from four to six rays in the branchial membrane. 



We should then have the following sub-genera forming one natural 

 group : — 



1 P(Bcilia, prop. Schn. Five rays in the branchial membrane, jaws pro- 

 tractile, with a single row of teeth. 



2 Lehias, Cuv. Teeth hooked, jaws protractile. 



3 Aplocheilus, J. M. Teeth as in the PcBcdia, intermaxillaries fixed. 



4 Fundidus, Lacep. 



and >- Four rays in the branchial membrane, teeth crowded. 



5 il/o/m^*m,Leseur. J 



6 Cyprinodon, Lacep. Six rays in the branchial membrane. 



