1849.] 



Fishes of Southern India. 



tic. Very similar in form and coloration to P, cultellus. It appears 

 very similar to McLelland's Opsarius leucurus. 



Pelecus Jlavipinnis. New Species. 



Head 5^ times in total length of body ; height about 4^ times in 

 the same ; eye nearly one-fourth of length of head ; profile of back 

 rising very gently from the nape, nearly straight afterwards ; abdo- 

 men much arched; lateral line descending rapidly to near the ventrals, 

 thence parallel to the abdomen, rising again when close to the cau- 

 dal ; hook on the apex of the lower jaw very prominent ; from 60 to 

 65 scales along the sides — D. 9, A. 17— greenish above, silvery be- 

 neath, dorsal, anal and caudal fins white, edged with orange yellow ; 

 6 to 8 inches long. 



I have hitherto taken this fish in the Cavery only. It is very 

 closely allied to Valenciennes' Leuciscus novacula, which however i« 

 from the north of India. 



Pelecus diffusus. New Species ? 



Head 5| times in total length of body ; height the same ; eye large, 

 barely one-third of length of head, profile of back perfectly straight, 

 that of abdomen regularly arched ; lateral line descending at first, 

 afterwards parallel to the abdomen, but more distant than in the last 

 species; about 50 scales along the sides, in 9 or 10 rows; green 

 above, silvery beneath, with a bright yellow line intervening ; dor- 

 sal, anal and caudal fins yellow, with black edging ; other fins pale 

 yellowish, pectoral fin not quite so long as in last ; length 4 to 6 

 inches — D. 9, A. 17 — found in the Cavery and all its tributaries, 

 very abundant. Takes fly readily. Is somewhat allied to Leuc- 

 scapellus of Valenciennes, and also to Opsarius phulicephalus of 

 McLelland, but appears to differ from both. 



^"Pelecus acinaces. (Val.) 



Allied to scapellus ; height of body one-fifth of total length ; 

 profile of back perfectly straight ; eye 2| times in the length of the 

 head which is 4 times in total length ; scales very caducous — D. 9, A. 

 13 — a silvery band separates the green of the back from the brilliant 

 eilver of the belly, — 3 inches long. From Mysore. 



This is very nearly allied apparently to the last, but appears to 

 differ in its larger head, number of rays of anal fin, &c., and the 

 number of its scales are not mentioned. 



