ACANTHOPTERYGII. 363 



preceding is the gourami, or Osphromenus of Commerson. 

 That naturalist gave it this name, from the Greek word 

 oa<pQOfxai, olfacio, supposing that its labyrinthiform apparatus 

 was an organ of smell. There is nothing, however, to confirm 

 this conjecture ; and it is much more natural to believe that 

 it is a supplementary organ of respiration, or rather a reser- 

 voir of water for the respiration of these fish, when the external 

 water fails them. 



The gourami is not less remarkable for its size than for its 

 excellent flavour. It becomes as large and larger than a turbot, 

 and its flesh is delicious. Commerson tells us that he never 

 ate anything more exquisite in the way offish, whether of the 

 sea or of the fresh water. He adds, that the Dutch in Batavia 

 rear these fishes in large earthen vessels, renewing the water 

 every day, and feeding them on nothing but fresh water 

 plants, and particularly the pistia natans. Even in those 

 which live at liberty, the stomach and long intestines folded a 

 great number of times, never, according to Commerson, con- 

 tain any thing but plants bruised and crowded into masses. 



Other authors, as M. Dupetit-Thouars, speak of them as 

 frequenting the openings of sewers, and devouring greedily 

 their contents. 



Commerson believes that this species was brought from 

 China to the Isle of France. They were at first reared in 

 depots by the inhabitants of that island, from which they 

 escaped into the rivers, and are now among the number of 

 fish which live there at liberty. They are considered as a 

 delicacy on the best tables. 



We are told that the female of the gourami hollows a little 

 foss in the edge of the hard reservoir in which she is kept, 

 for the purpose of depositing her eggs in it; a sort of soli- 

 citude not observed in most fishes. 



Of the habits of Trichopus and Spirobranchus we 

 are ignorant. 



