448 ORDER MALACOPTERYGII ABDOMINALES. 



anal, placed opposite to each other, and pretty nearly 

 equal in size, occupy the last third of the length of 

 the whole body. 



We are in possession of one with a short muzzle, 

 brought from Senegal by Adanson, which M. Ruppel 

 has also found in the Nile, Sudis Adansonii, Cuv. ; 

 and another of very large size, with an oblong muzzle, 

 great osseous scales, and a head simply rough, from 

 Brazil, Sudis gigas, Cuv., S. pirarucu, Spix. xvi. M. 

 Ehrenberg has discovered a third in the Nile, Sudis 

 Niloticus, Ehr., in which he has observed a singular 

 funnel, spirally convoluted, which adheres to the third 

 gill ; perhaps it may be some disposition analogous 

 to those which we have observed in the Anabas and 

 other neighbouring genera. 



Osteoglossum, Vandelli, 



Have many relations with sudis, and are principally 

 distinguished by two barbels, which depend from the 

 symphysis of the lower jaw ; their anal is united to the 

 caudal ; their tongue is osseous, and singularly rough, 

 from a multitude of short, straight, and truncated 

 teeth, which cover it, so that it serves like a rasp to re- 

 duce fruits to a pulp, or to express the juice from them. 

 A Brasilian species, tolerably large, is known, Osteo- 

 glossum Vandellii, Cuv., or Ischnosoma bicirrhosum, 

 Spix xxv. 



Lepisosteus, Lacep. 



Have a muzzle formed by the union of the intermax- 

 illaries, maxillaries, and palatines to the vomer and 



