314 



On the Fresh JVater 



[No. S5, 



Braall; 31 scales along the sides in 12 rows ; D. 4-8, A. 8, &;c. ; dorsal 

 ray serrated — from Bombay and Calcutta, See. 



The three preceding fish appear to be somewhat similar to one 

 another, and most probably belong to the genus Systomus of McLel- 

 land. 



I cannot identify them however with any of mine, 



"^•Barhus roseipinnis. C. V. 

 Cirri long, thin ; toothed dorsal ray slightly bent, of moderate 

 size ; eye large ;. 22 scales along the side ; D. 3-8, A. 2-5, kc. ; caudal, 

 anal, and ventral fins strongly tinged with red— 4^ inches long— from 

 Pondicherry. 



■^Barhus Pohjdori. C. V. 



Dorsal spine very finely serrated, slender ; 27 scales along the 

 sides. D. 3-9, A. 2-5. Steel blue on the back, t>ilvery beneath, fins 

 greyish ; 4J inches long, from Bombay. 



It is probable that these two belong also to the SystomL 



Genus Systomus. McLelland. 

 Dorsal and anal fins short, the former usually preceded by a 

 Bpinous ray ; intermaxillaries protractile ; spots on body, or fins. 



Systomus chrysopoma. Val. 



Head 4J times in total length ; height 3J times in the same ; 4 

 cirri; 27 scales along the sides in 10 or 11 ro\vs; D. 10, A. 8. 

 Green above silvery beneath, cheeks golden, a black spot on each 

 side of the tail — up to 1 foot long. 



This fish, placed as a Barhus by Valenciennes, is probably nearly 

 allied to the S. immaculatus of McLelland. It sometimes wants the 

 black spot on the tail. It is very abundant in most of the rivers of 

 Malabar, entering the ditches and paddy fields during the monsoon 

 in great numbers, and is caught by the boys with a hook baited 

 with worm. It is more nearly allied to the Barbels perhaps than 

 most of the Systomi. I have kept it in confinement for many 

 months and it grows very rapidly. 



Systomus dorsalis. New Species. 

 Head is 3| times in total length ; height is 3 times in the same ; 

 snout irregular, 26 scales along the sides in 8 rows ; 2 labial cirri ; 

 profile rising to dorsal and descending rapidly to the end of that fin, 



