XXIX.--NATURAL AND ECONOMICAL HISTORY OF THE GOURAML 



By Theodore Gill. 



OSPHROMENUS GORAMY. 



Synonymy. 

 Ospliromeuus goramy, Lacepede, Hist. Nat. Poiss., Ill, 117, pi. 3, fig. 2, 1802 ; Gill, Am. 



Sportsman, IV, 66, 369, 1874. 

 Trichopus goramy, Sliaw, Gen. Zool., IV, 388, pi. 55, 1803. 

 Osphromeuus olfas, Comm. in Lacepede Hist. Nat. Poiss., Ill, 117, 1802 ; Rardwiclce, Zool. 



Journ., IV, 309, pi. 36 ; Ciiv. ^ Val, Hist. Nat. Poiss.,VII, 377, pi. 198, 1831 ; Etch, Brit. 



Ass. Rep. (Ich. China and Japan), 1846, 251 ; Bleeker, Vissch. Doolh. Kieuw., (Ver- 



hand. Batav. Genootschap, XXIII, p.) 10,1850; Cantor, Cat. Malayan Fishes, 88, 



1850 ; Val., Regne An., par Cuv., 6d. par disciples, Poissons, pi. 73, figs. 1, 3 ; Giinther, 



Cat.Acanth. Fishes B. M., Ill, 382, 1861 ; and various autliors. Bull. Soc. Zool. d'Acclim., 



iufi-a cit., 1860-74 ; Zool. Garten, etc. 

 Trichopodns mentum, Lacepede, Hist. Nat. Poiss., Ill, 125, pi. 3, fig. 2, 1802. (Based ou 



a bad figure by M. C^r6. ) 

 Trichopus satyrus, Shatv, Gen. Zool., IV, 391, pi. 35, 1803. (A substitute for Triclio- 



podus mentum.) 

 Osphromenns satyrus, Bleeker, Vissch. Doolh. Kieuw. (Verhand. Batav. Genootschap, 



XXIII), 10, 1850. 

 Osphromenns notatus, KuM tj- Van Rassali, in Cuv. 4" Val. Hist. Nat. Poiss., VII, 386, 



1831. 

 Osphromeuus vittatus, Kiild ij- Van Hassall, in Cuv. <|- Val. Hist. Nat. Poiss., VII, 387, 



1831. 

 The preceding are only the more important references to the species ; others will be 

 found in the foot-notes and in the subsequent text. 



A— NATUEAL HISTOEY. 



PREFATORY. 



The great interest which has been excited by the gourami, and the 

 numerous attempts to acclimatize or introduce it into distant countries 

 will doubtless render welcome a somewhat elaborate article on the spe- 

 cies, and a practical application of the lessons of experience in connec- 

 tion with it. 



The literature on the fish is very voluminous, and numerous articles 

 have been written upon it ; in the Bulletin de la Societe Imperiale 

 Zoologique d'Acclimatatiou alone, there are about one hundred references 

 in the indices to articles and notices in the various volumes. These and 

 many other ]3apers have been consulted, and our readers are furnished 

 with the results of exi^erimeuts and observations to date. Especially 



* This article is reprinted, with slight modifications by the author, from " The Ameri- 

 can Sportsman," for September 12, 1874, (A,) and October 31, 1874, (B,) by permission 

 of the editor and proprietor (W. F. Parker, esq.) of that paper. — S. F. Baird. 



