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Show 228 MR. F. DAY ON THE FISHES OF AFGHANISTAN. [Apr. 6, articulated ; the height of its anterior rays equals the length of base of the fin ; its last ray divided to its base. Pectoral inserted below the middle of the height of the body, it is nearly as long as the head. Ventral short, its length equalling that of the postorbital length of the head ; it is inserted beneath the first divided dorsal ray. Anal commences very slightly nearer the base of the caudal fin than the insertion of the ventral ; it is rather more than twice as high as it is wide at its base. Caudal forked, lower lobe the longer. Scales: the two rows just above the lateral line are rather enlarged ; four rows between the lateral line and insertion of the ventral fin. Lateral line slightly concave, passing to the centre of the base of the caudal fin. Colours : silvery, lightest along the lower two thirds of the body ; " when fresh, they had brilliant scarlet spots on their bodies and below their gills " (Duke). Fins grey, darkest externally, and with a light outer edge. Habitat. Quetta: two examples captured Oct. 18, 1877, one 6, the other 6| inches in length. The extensive genus Barbus, of which at least seventy species, besides many varieties, have been recorded from India, Ceylon, and Burma, does not appear to be largely represented in Afghanistan. BARBUS TOR, Ham. Buch. Dr. Duke's collection'contains one specimen of the true Mahseer, 9^ inches in length. It is of the variety in which the central lobes to the upper and lower lips are not well developed. I found this species likewise pretty abundant on the Sind side of the Beluchistan range of hills. Griffith alludes to having taken the Mahasir, and also a Barbus closely allied to it, from Gurmah, where there exists a branch stream falling into that of the Bolan Pass. In the Bolan rivers he observed them (B. tor) in abundance, but not attaining any size, the largest weighing perhaps 3 lb. BARBUS MILESI. B. iii. D. 13 (j\). P. 13. V. 8. A. 2 | 7. C. 19. L.l. 39. L. tr. 6| | 7-J. Length ot head 4\, of caudal fin b\, height of body 4\ in the total length. Eyes : diameter 4\ in the length of the head, 1\ diameter from the end of the snout, and also 1 \ apart. Snout somewhat compressed and pointed ; mouth anterior, upper jaw slightly overlapping the lower. Lips thick, but no continuous fold behind the symphysis of the lower jaw ; no lobes to the lips ; the posterior extremity of "the maxilla reaches to beneath the front edge of the orbit. The greatest width of the head equals two thirds of its length. Barbels: a thin maxillary pair about a half as long as the orbit. Teeth pharyngeal, 4, 3, 2 [ 2, 3, 4, rather crooked and pointed at their outer extremity. Gill-rakers short and widely separated. Pseudobranchiaa present. Fins : the dorsal commences rather nearer the base of the caudal than to the end of the snout ; its last undivided ray is osseous, strong, serrated, and as long as the postorbital portion of the head |