114 



Indian Cyprinidcc* 



obtained during his researches, and throws new light upon the 

 ichthyology of the East. 



The Cyprinidse, are arranged by Cuvier in the " Regne Animal," 

 as the first family of the Malacopterygii abdominales — and are cha- 

 racterized thus — they are " recognized by the slightly cleft mouth ; 

 the weak jaws, generally edentated, and whose border is formed 

 by the intermaxillaries ; by the deeply dentated pharyngeals which 

 compose the trifling armature of the jaws, and by the small number 

 of the branchial rays. Their body is scaly, and they have no adi- 

 pose dorsal, such as we shall find in the Siluri and in the Salmons. 

 Their stomach has no cul-de-sac, neither are there any csecal appen- 

 dages to their pylorus. Of all the fishes, they are the least carni- 

 vorous." This family is divided by Cuvier into seventeen genera, 

 characterized for the most part by the form of the mouth, and the 

 position of the dorsal fin. After a minute examination of the 

 digestive apparatus of these fishes. Dr. M'Clelland has pointed out a 

 natural arrangement, which goes far to simplify their study. He 

 ascertained that upon the greater or less development of the intesti- 

 nal canal, he could determine the food taken by the different genera 

 —whether it was animal or vegetable ; and that the position of the 

 mouth corresponded with this arrangement of the canal. That such 

 of the family as lived entirely upon vegetable food, possessed the 

 greatest developement of the intestines—and their mouths were 

 horizontal or directed downwards ; and that those which lived upon 

 insects, had the least development of these organs — and their jaws 

 were directed upwards. 



He has accordingly formed three subfamilies, into which he di- 

 vides the Cyprinidse. The first, he calls Pceonomince, or herbivorus 

 Cyprins — ^from poionomos, that feeds on herbs. This subfamily is 

 thus characterized — " mouth slightly cleft, either horizontal or di- 

 rected more or less downward. The stomach is a lengthened tube 

 continuous with a long intestinal canal ; colorus plain ; three rays 

 in the branchial membrane. Obs, Their food consists chiefly of 

 confervoid plants and other productions of the vegetable kingdom." 

 The PceonomincB contain five long established genera ; viz. Cirrhinus, 

 Barbus, Cyprims proprius, Gobio, and Gonorhynchus. From the 



