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Show 282 MR. F. DAY ON INDIAN FISHES. [Mar. 14, be placed in the Ootacamund Lake and the Pykara River :-the Ophiocephalus marulius, O. striatus, Labeobarbus tor, and Puntius carnaticus, all of which breed in the Bowany River, at the foot of the Neilgherries, on the Coimbatore side. The period to obtain the young fish is during the months of September and October. Whilst employed as stated I took the opportunity of investigating and collecting all the indigenous varieties on the plateau, slopes, and rivers flowing around the bases of these hills, except upon their western side. During the course of my researches I obtained thirty-six species, many of which appear to be new. The almost complete absence of Acanthopterygians was very remarkable ; for, with the exception of the Eel-like Mastacembelidce and the Ophiocephalidee, whose title to rank as such might almost be open to dispute, none were captured ; even the Gobiidce, so universally distributed throughout India, seemed to be absent. On the other hand, some species hitherto only recorded from Northern Bengal and the Deccan obtained a place in my collection. The fishes mentioned in this paper may be divided into:-those of the upper plateau of the hills, from 5000 to 7000 feet elevation, where only one species, Paradanio neilgherriensis, sp. nov., exists; secondly, those on the lower slopes, from 2000 to 4000 feet above the level of the sea. From the rapids on the slopes of the Neilgherries one small Roach (Nemacheilus guentheri, sp. nov.), a little Carp (Puntius grayi, sp. nov.), and what is commonly and erroneously called "a Trout" (Barilius rugosus, sp. nov.), were taken. Besides these species in the Seegoor River, which is not rapid, but nearly 3000 feet above the sea, and takes a long winding course into the rivers of the plains, the Ophiocephalus gachua, Buch. Ham., the Nemacheilus semiarmatus, sp. nov., the Garra gotyla, Gray, the G. jerdoni, sp. nov., the Puntius carnaticus, Jerdon, and the Paradanio aurolineatus, Day, were found to be indigenous. The Bowany River, flowing along the base of the hills at an elevation of only 1000 feet above the sea, contained most of the foregoing species, as well as twenty-seven others. For stocking the waters of the hills those fish which were found to inhabit the highest levels were preferred. The following is a list of the species obtained, and specimens of which I still possess :- OPHIOCEPHALUS MARULIUS, Buch. Ham. Poo verarl (Tarn.). The flower of the Verarls. B. v. D. 51. P. 16. V. 1/6. A. 35. C. 13. L. 1. 60. The coloration of this species, when captured in the Bowany, agreed with Colonel Sykes's «Fishes of the Dukhun,' pl. 60. f. 3. The young were greenish, with about five stripes passing backwards on the sides, and a yellowish ocellus on the posterior part of the dorsal fin. A few of these were placed in the Ootacamund Lake. |