The mountain forms are very distinct, the mouth being under the snout, or head, the intestines long, peritoneum covered with a black pigment. These forms commence at Dadur, 800 feet above the sea: this stream abounds in rapids.
Gurmab is 1,100 feet. Quettah, 5,600 feet. Lora river, 3,600 feet. Urghundab, 3,600 feet.
These lists may be of some small use compared with Burnes’s collection. To a certain extent they may be useful as showing the preponderance, etc. of certain forms. You may rely on my distinctions between Cyprinidæ, Siluridæ, and Percidæ.)
“To-morrow I will send the other list of specimens No. 3, which will I hope reach you; of all the fish in these parts, the Sir-i-Chushme and Cabul river Oreinus travels farthest up. I have caught it at nearly 11,000 feet in the Helmund river. Then come loaches, and the beautiful trout-like Opsarion; other Cyprinidæ ascend 2,000 or 3,000 feet, the Mahaseer scarcely more. Above that, come the genuine mountain forms.
No. Family. Locality. REMARKS.
1 Cyprinidæ, Streams from A brown fish, with irregular
Oreinus? So-faid-koh, black spots.
2 Cyprinidæ, "
3 " " A sombre looking Gudgeon-like
fish, back blackish, sides
yellowish, punctulate with
groups of blackish spots.
4 Loach, " Colours and patches obscure.
5 Perilamp, Jallalabad river, Usual silvery-bluish hues.
6 Cyprinidæ,moun-
tain form,
Schizothorax.
7 Cyprinidæ, Poo- " Colours obscure, scales
teoides, minute, dorsal spine very
strong.
8 Cyprinidæ, " A stout fish, of obscure
colours, each scale with a
transverse more or less
wavy red line (like the
Nepoora of Assam), mouth
nepooroid, intestines very
long, very thin, very
frangible, packed in longish
folds, Peritoneum covered
with a black pigment. Herbiv.
9 Cyprinidæ. Peri- " Back metallic bluish-brown,
lampoid, otherwise silvery.
10 Cyprinoid, "
11 " Schizo- "
thorax,
12 " " " Back greenish, fins reddish,
snout elongated.
13 " " " Colours brownish, tinged with
yellow; perhaps it is the
same as the Helmund and Cabul
species: intestines packed in
a few folds, moderately long,
4½ inches longer than body:
diameter of body 2 inches.
Peritoneum with the black
pigment Carneo-herbivorous.
14 Cyprinoid, "
15 Ophiocephalus, Jheels, etc, Bus- Colour rather a rich brown,
soollah, pectoral fins barred with
chesnut.
16 Cyprinoid like a " Back brownish: this colour
Bleak, Schizo- limited to a narrowish line,
thorax, otherwise entirely pearly.
Peritoneum covered with black
pigment. Intestines rather
large, in 3 or 4 folds.
17 Cyprinoid. A nar- " A very pretty species,
row deep fish. brownish back, marked faintly
Perilamp. An both longitudinally and
Opsarion? transversely with iridescent
patches, abdominal fins
reddish.
18 Cyprinoid, Jheels, etc, Bus- A handsome species allied to
soollah, very the Mahaseer; back black,
common, otherwise yellowish, fins
tinged with red, scales as it
were bordered with
dusky-black. Intestines
short.
19 " " An oval, rather thick fish,
of obscure colours.
20 " Schizo- " An elegant species, back
thorax. obscurely brown, otherwise
pearly. Peritoneum black,
covered with pigment.
Intestines very long and
narrow.
21 Racoma nobilis[{0c}] Lalpoor, Cabul A stout fish, with a large
river, head, not unlike a trout at
first sight Sides bluish
silvery grey, back obscurely
brown, remarkable for
frequent irregular
well-defined black spots,
faintest in small specimens,
fins tinged with reddish.
Head flat at top, with some
spots. Peritoneum with black
pigment. Intestines of large
size, loaded with fat, short,
not twice the length of the
abdomen, cavity loaded with
fat. As usual no cæca. A
remarkable type: aspectu
omnino carnivoris.
22 Loach, Khyber range A very small and slender
stream, from species, light brown,
Sir-i-Chushme speckled and barred with
spring, temper, brown, attracted
75°, from immediately by scraping up
limestone rocks. the bed of the outlet of the
spring.
23 Cyprinid, Orei- Same place, but Back brown, with some
noides, occurs down to iridescent hues, sides
Khyber ghat yellowish brown, dark spots
stream. confined to back and sides,
small but distinct; fins
tinged with reddish.
Peritoneum loaded with
black pigment. Intestines in
short loops across abdomen of
intermediate size, as to
length and diameter. Air
bladder small; very common.
Swarm in deepish pools under
limestone rocks, takes bait,
i.e. offal and worms with
great avidity. Like many
other species, it is asserted
to be the English trout: it
rises to the surface.
24 Loach, Same place com- Shape subcylindrical, pale
mon, greenish-brown, with very
broad bars of brown, fins
spotted with black,
otherwise fuscescent; at root
of tail a deep black bar.
Head depressed, in old
specimens broad, closely
spotted with black, snout
attenuated, apex with cirrhi;
upper jaw in the centre with
a bony process not unlike an
incisor tooth
25 Cyprinid, Opsa- " A beautiful trout-like fish,
rion back bluish-black, triangular
bars of azure blackish,
ending in a point towards
glandular line, fins tinged
with orange, tail tipped with
black. Peritoneum spotted
slightly with black.
26 " Opsarion, " Possibly young specimens of
preceding, colours same but
fainter.”
* * * * *
Memorandum on return from Afghanistan.
“As I considered on my arrival at Peshawur in December 1839, that a great deal remained to be done, I obtained permission to remain another season in Affghanistan. I immediately mentioned my wishes of travelling to General Avitabili, who strongly advised me not to attempt leaving Peshawur in any novel direction, as the whole of his district was much disaffected. Soon afterwards I heard of an expedition being on the point of leaving Jallalabad for Kooner, and I determined on joining it. I re-traversed the Khybur Pass alone, and arrived at Jallalabad just in time to go in the advance. I was present at Pushut, 18th January 1840; and on the return of the force I remained behind with Captain Macgregor. In February 1840 I accompanied Captain Macgregor to Chugur-Serai, and thence to Otipore or Chugur-Serai-Balu on the immediate frontier of Kaffiristan, and through his influence I was enabled to remain there, and to increase my materials in an extremely interesting direction. I remained about Otipore for some weeks, making arrangements for penetrating into Kaffiristan and little Cashgur, and in daily expectation of being joined by the late Capt. E. Connolly; all my plans, which first seemed to promise success, were completely frustrated by the disturbances which broke out in Bajore, consequent on Meer Alum Khan’s absence at Jallalabad. Capt. Connolly barely escaped with his life from the hands of the Momauds. Meer Alum Khan found on his return towards his government that he could not leave Chugur-Serai, and at last, circumstances threatened so much around Otipore and Chugur-Serai, that Meer Alum Khan insisted on my leaving Otipore and on returning with him to Jallalabad. I did not leave a moment too soon, for shortly after, Syud Hoshin turned Otipore by crossing the hills to the north of Deogul, and very soon possessed himself of Otipore. Meer Alum and I reached Jallalabad in safety, having been attacked once on the road.
“I remained at Jallalabad a few days, and was driven thence to Khaggah by the necessity of obtaining medical aid. I reached Khaggah in a high fever, and was confined to my bed for six weeks: during my severe illness, I experienced the greatest kindness and attention from Dr. Thomson and Dr. Andrew Paton, of the H. C. European Regt.
“Early in July I proceeded to Cabul for change of air, and as soon as I recovered a little strength, started to join Lieut. Sturly, who was surveying on the Toorkistan frontier. I met that Officer at Syghan the day he left to prosecute his surveys, which had been interrupted by the Kamard disturbances: he was recalled to Syghan, in consequence of heavier and more serious disturbance.