Indian Cyprinidae. 



12S 



The Oreinus progastus " is said by the natives of Assam to 

 occasion swimming of the head and temporary loss of reason for 

 several days, v4rithout any particular derangement of the stomach. 

 It is the most herbivorous of the Barbels, and like some of the 

 Gudgeons, tends rapidly to decay after death, and in the abdominal 

 cavity a copious oily secretion is found, which is probably the cause of 

 its bad effects." p. 344, 



Our author observes, that in some species " the whole of the 

 abdominal viscera float in a dark, oily kind of fluid ;" and he remarks, 

 that either this fluid, or the great proportion of vegetable matter 

 contained in the intestines of the Gudgeon and Gonorhynchs, tends 

 rapidly to putrefaction; to which cause, as well as to the neglect 

 of removing the viscera from those species immediately after they are 

 caught, 1 ascribe the bad eff'ects which have by some been observed 

 to result on certain occasions from their use." " Mr. Bruce, of 

 Assam, also mentioned to me, that he knew of instances of indisposi- 

 tion supposed to be occasioned by a variety of Bangon. All Bangons 

 and Gonorhynchs should therefore have the viscera removed soon 

 after they are taken, and the dark, oily fluid washed away ; when, if 

 it be necessary, they will keep fresh as long as any other kind of 

 fish ; but if this be neglected, the stomach rapidly putrefies, in which 

 state, if it be necessary to use these fish, the thin parts adjoining the 

 ventral fins should be removed." p. 371. 



I might proceed to point out much, which could not fail to 

 interest you, but it was not my intention to present an elaborate 

 paper. I wished merely by glancing generally at the work before me, 

 to shew you how creditably the author has performed his task ; 

 he deserves, and will I trust, receive in the pages of the scientific 

 journals of his native country, a faithful critique. 



Before closing this report, I would revert to a single circumstance 

 which is highly honorable to Dr. M'Clelland. It appears that Dr. 

 Buchanan, during a long residence in India, had made a large col- 

 lection of papers and drawings illustrating the natural history of that 

 country, which were taken from him, as he was about to leave India, 

 by the Marquis of Hastings, and deposited in the government house 

 at the botanic garden in Calcutta — so that he was obliged when he 

 reached Edinburgh, to publish his Gangetic Fishes without most 



