316 



On the Fresh Water 



[No. 85, 



1 obtained specimens of this fish in the Bhowany river at the foot 

 of the Neilgherries and also in the Cavery. 



Systomus scyphone. (Buch. ?) 



No cirri ; dorsal spine smooth ; head is 4 times in body and its 

 height is 2 times and two-thirds its total length — D. 10, A. 7 — 

 dusky green above, cheeks orange, silvery beneath ; a streak of 

 fine red along the sides ; dorsal fin sometimes stained with black ; 

 usually a black spot on the tail ; ventral and anal fins often tinged 

 with red ; dorsal spine smooth ; 23 scales along the sides in 9 rows. 



Common in tanks and rivers in the Carnatic not exceeding usually 

 3^ or 4 inches. 



Systomus chola. (Buch. ?) 



2 cirri ; 24 scales in 9 rows — D. 10, A. 7 — dorsal spine smooth, 

 green above, silvery beneath. Dorsal fin reddish, stained and spot- 

 ted with black ; other fins yellowish ; a large black spot on the 

 root of the tail ; cheeks golden ; height about 2| times in the 

 length ; head 2>\ times in body, length about 3| to 4 inches. 



Although my fish, which is from tanks in the Carnatic, has some 

 points of resemblance to C. chola, I have little doubt that it is dis- 

 tinct, and in that case propose the name of Hamiltonii. Its chief 

 points of difi'erence are the less depth, large head, &c. It differs 

 from sopkone chiefly in having cirri ; I possess notes of another al- 

 lied species which differs from S. sophone in its more elongated bo- 

 dy. 24 scales in 7 or 8 rows ; and usually no spot on the tail ; but 

 as I have lost my specimen, I shall only allude to it here. It was 

 from Madras. 



SystomUs tristis. (New Species.) 



2 cirri ; 24 scales along the sides in 7 rows ; D. 4-8, A. 7, &c. ; 

 body compressed ; plain olive green above, silvery beneath ; fins 

 plain, 3 inches long. 



I procured a single specimen of this fish in the Cavery, which I at 

 first took to be a Barhus, and indeed it resembles one so much in 

 habit, dorsal spines, plain colours, &c., that I may yet be mistaken, 

 but I could only detect 2 cirri. 



Systomus tripunctatus. (New Species.) 

 No cirri, head about 3^ times in length of body ; height about 

 3i times in the length ; 23 scales along the sides in 7 ro>YS. Green 



