Cohitis. INDIAN CYPRINIDiE. 431 



upper part of the body (PL 51 and 52), while the Schisturfs, or those with 

 bifid caudal, have their colours, usually different shades of green, disposed 

 in numerous rings or transverse bars distinctly marked on the sides. 



In their digestive organs, the true Loaches {Cohitis proji.) assimilate nearer 

 than the Schisturce to the preceding genera ; the stomach is small, and 

 slightly curved or lunate, so as to place the pyloric orifice in front, and the 

 intestine is either convoluted slightly or straight, according as the stomach 

 may happen to be distended ; but the whole length of the alimentary canal 

 does not exceed half that of the body.* 



* The observation of BIr. George Daniell communicated to Mr. Yarrell, British Fishes, p. 379, 

 of two spherical bony cavities placed under the first and second vertebraj, seem to me to be nothing 

 more than the bony bilobate case enclosing the air-vessel, as pointed out by Schneider Syn. Pise. 

 Arted. 5 and 337- Professor Weber, according to Blumenbach, Comp. Anatomy, p. 285, found a con- 

 nection between the air-vessel and ear of fishes by means of a chain of small bones analogous to the 

 malleus, incus, and stapes, of Mammalia. These ossicula auditus occupy the situation of the bilo- 

 bate case in the Loaches. What strengthens the probability of a connection between the air-vessel 

 and ear of fishes, and destroys the idea of the situation of the air-vessel in the Loaches being so 

 peculiar as Mr. Swainson supposes (Nat. Hist. Fishes vol. i. p. 362) is, that it is found in precisely 

 the same situation in several of the Siluridce, according to the interesting observations of Dr. J. Taylor, 

 Gleanings in Science, Calcutta, J une 1830. " The air-vessel," says Dr. Taylor of the Pimelodus 

 gagora, P. bagarius, Siluriis singio, Macropteronottcs magur, Buch. " is placed behind the head, 

 close to its articulation with the first vertebra; and in this situation is connected with the ossicula 

 a^iditus which are conspicuous, and present the same appearance as those of the Silunis boalis." Dr. 

 Taylor then enters into a very minute anatomical description of the part in question in each of the 

 four species. In the first, it is situated in a bony cup attached by means of a narrow neck to the 

 body of the first vertebra close to its junction with the cranium, and consists of two distinct air-blad- 

 ders, which have no communication with each other. In the second species tiie air-vessel is also 

 bilobate, but the lobes are situated on opposite sides of the vertebra. In the two last the air-blad- 

 ders are also double, consisting of two lobes of pyriform shape, united at their narrow extremities, 

 and continued in a funnel-shaped case projecting outward from the body of the first vertebra. As 

 the direct affinity of the Loaches to Siluridce, is suggested by Mr. Swainson (Nat. Hist. Fishes, vol. i.) 

 without, it would seem, being aware of tiie singular agreement in tlie curious points of structure 



