* * * * *

Mirzapore: April 26th, 1841.

“Request --- to refrain from abusing compound microscopes. Why should not compound and simple microscopes each have their merits? Valentine, who is a great authority, and an unrivalled dissector, says, the simple lens must be suspended. I only wish I could dissect with a compound microscope: what things might not one get access to. The simple lens is quite useless with opaque objects; it only does for transmitted light. Now dissections of opaque objects have been too much neglected. How odd it is that all improvements are ridiculed at first.

“I enclose a bit of Sphagnam, a curious moss, with curious incomplete spiral cells in the leaves. I dare say it will bear preservation in Canada balsam. I have received a new microscope, a queer-looking thing, very portable; one object glass of a quarter inch focus, by Ross; two eye-pieces magnifying linearly 200 to 300 times. I have put it up, but I am not well enough to decide on its merits. Now that I have arranged all my things, I am literally frightened at the work I have to do.

“I am quite annoyed at the idea that German artists make better microscopes than English. I was aware that the lenses were better, but otherwise I imagined that any comparison would be vastly in our favour. I am curious to know the price, and where to apply for one, as your account makes me quite ashamed of mine. Who knows what a fine penetrating power of 1100 may not disclose. I am very much pleased with your idea of anointing cuts with nitrate of silver; this hint I will bear in mind.

“I enclose the first list of fish, No. 2, not that it is of much use.—What nonsense it is to collect without knowledge.

No. Native Name. Family. REMARKS.
1 Kuggur, Siluridæ.
2 Soonnee, Cyprinidæ, Back greenish,
otherwise pearly-white.
3 Dhurra, Cyprinidæ, Fins reddish, red spot
on opercule, back
greenish-brown.
4 Moogullee, " Perilampoid, Diaphanous, silvery,
head reddish.
5 Peedur, " " Like the preceding.
6 Moorr, " " Ditto ditto.
7 Bhanghun, " " Ditto ditto.
8 Kundura, " Perilampus, Back greenish,
otherwise quite
silvery.
9 Pullee, " " Same as 4,5,6,7.
10 Goolla Ciprinidæ.
11 Khunnuree, Percidæ, Chanda
of Buchanan, Diaphanous.
12 Sur-ri-rha, Cyprinidæ Perilamp, Silvery-green on back.
13 Gundhan, " Perilampoid, Same colours.
14 Mhukk, " " Ditto ditto.
15 Ghurr, " " Ditto ditto.
16 Dhoalee, Ophiocephalus, Colour brown, with
usual marks and bars.
17 Ahaiha, Siluridæ, Diaphanous, 3-5
irregular longish
stripes.
18 Mhullee, Silurus, Silvery-blueish.
19 Mhoarree, Cyprinidæ, Yellowish-green, fins
reddish. 5 seers.
20 Dhumpurra, " Brownish-green, 6
seers.
21 Pho-eikee, " Perilampoid.
22 Putollee, Cyprinidæ, Back and sides
light-green.
23 Poapree, " Back greenish-brown,
sides greenish.
24 Shingra, Siluridæ, No stripes, lightly
tinged with brown.
25 Dhimmurr, Silurus.
26 Ghoa-gha, " Back greenish,
punctulate, head
reddish.
27 Mokkhurr, Opiocephalus.
28 Dhujjha, "
29 Thailla, Cyprinidæ, 5 to 6 seers.
30 Mhorakkee, " Much like 19.
31 Singarhee, " Much like 4, 5, 6, 7.
32 Logurr, Siluridæ, 3 to 4 faint punctulate
longish lines.
33 Ghoje, Not noted.
34 Tupree, "
37 Ghunghutt, Perilampus.
38 Soourr, Siluridæ, Diaphanous. Faint
punctulate lines.
39 Soonaree, Cyprinidæ.
40 Phunnee, " Perilampoid.
41 Kutchoo, " Much like the
preceding.
42 Saisurr, " Ditto ditto.
43 Coommee, " Much like no. 4.
44 Saluree, " Ditto ditto.
45 Shumsheer, " So called because of
its voracity,
(Shumsheer a sabre.)
46 Ghora, " Same as Soonee.
47 Saboan, " Same as the preceding.
48 Bhambhun, Cyprinidæ, Same as Dhurra.

All the above from the Indus, at Shikarpore.

No. Family. River. REMARKS.
49 Cyprinidæ, Nari, Small size, colour-silvery,
except upper back, which is
bluish-green.
50 Siluridæ, Mysore.
51 Ophiocephalus, "
52 " "
53 Cyprinidæ, " Same as 49.
54 " Systomus. " A beautiful fish, bright green
back, otherwise bright
orange-red, fins stained with
black colours; fugacious.
55 Cyprinidæ, "
56 " Systomus, " Back greenish, opercle orange
spotted, one black spot near
tail.
57 Percida Chamda "
58 Perilampoid, "
Water of both these rivers, quiescent: bunded up.
59 Cyprinoid, Dadur.
60 " " Same as 54.
61 " Systomus, " Same as 56.
63 Cyprinoid, "
64 " "
65 " "
66 " " Same as 59.
67 Cobites, "
68 Cyprinoid, Bolan, Bluish-green, blue bars and
dots. Takes the fly.
69 Barbus? " Intestines very long, much like
Naipoora.
70 Gonorhynchus? "
71 " " Probably a small specimen of
69.
72 Cyprinoid, "
73 " Gonorhyncus, Gurmab, Same as 70?
74 " "
75 Cyprinoid, " Closely allied to the Mahaseer.
76 Ditto Mahaseer, " Beautiful fish with
yellow-brown back, golden
sides. Takes fly greedily.
77 " Gonorhynchoid, "
78 " "
79 Silurida, " In Bolan river, deep still
water.
80 Cyprinoid, " In small streams.
81 Macrognathus, " Tenacious of life, belly puffy,
common throughout; a good deal
like a Gudgeon.
82 Loach, Quettah.
83 Cyprinoides, " A beautiful silvery-leaden
backed fish, with a streak of
bright-red along the side.
Common, very like the
preceding: of these Quettah
fish No. 83 is the most common,
82 the least so.
84 Cyprinus, curious, "
not being a
mountainous form.
86 " "
87 Cyprinoides, Lora, Same mountain form,
Gonorhynchoid.
88 " "
89 Loach, " Ditto ditto ditto.
90 " " Perhaps same as the preceding.
91 Cyprinoides, "
92 " " Like the Adoee.
93 " " Mountain form.
94 " " Large size for the genus.
95 " " Note.—Probable number of
species 47, deducting those
supposed not different
96 Cyprinoid, Urghundab.
97 Loach, "
98 Siluridæ, "
“I subjoin a list given me by a fisherman at Shikarpore, with his divisions into large and small:—
Large. Small.
Dhumpurra, Ghunghut.
Buree Phookee, Pedir.
Buree Thaillee, Soonnee.
Mhoarrhee, Phokee.
Moukkur, Mogullee.
Gundhan, Dhimmur.
Singaree, Ghoagar.
* Pulla, Khuggur.
Seenra.
Mhorr.
Bhangun.
Ghurr.
Soourr.
Morakee.
Tupree.
Ghogee.
Phopree.
Thaillee.
* Pulla.
Punnotee.
Dhaiee.
Ghogura.

(I send this list as all the specimens are not lost, and some are among the plants. Most of the species are, I think, distinct, and when they have appeared to me not to be so, I have generally noted it on the spot.