314 CHABACINID^. 



18. BRACHYALESTES*. 



Alestes, sp., Miill. ^ Trosch. I. c. 



The dorsal fin is placed in the middle of the length of the body, 

 above the ventrals ; anal of moderate length. Body oblong, covered 

 with scales of moderate or large size ; belly rounded in front of the 

 ventrals. Mouth, teeth, nostrils, and gill-openings as in Alestes ; 

 the intermaxillary extends downwards on each side, covering a por- 

 tion of the anterior edge of the maxillary. 



Tropical Africa. 



1. Brachyalestes nurse. 



Mvletes niu'se, Riqjp. Forts. Beschr. neiier Fische des Nils, p. 12. taf. 2. 



■fig. 3t. 



guile, Joannis, Guer. Mag. Zool. 1835, pi. 9. 



Alestes niu-se, 3fiill. &• Trosch. Hor. Ichth. i. p. 13; Cuv. Sf Val. xxii. 



p. 188. 

 Chalceus guile, Cui\ 8f Val. xxii. p. 255. 



D. 10. A. 16+. L. lat. 29. L. transv. |. Yert. 23/15. 



The height of the body is one-third, or somewhat less than one- 

 third, of the total length (without caudal), the length of the head a 

 little more than one-fourth. The origin of the dorsal fin is only a 

 little behind that of the ventral ; the pectoral terminates at some 

 distance from the ventral. Bright sUvery, with a very indistinct 

 blackish spot above the lateral line, behind the gill-opening ; some- 

 times another large blackish blotch at the base of the caudal fin. 

 Iris light yellow. 



Nile. 

 a-e. Fine specimens. Chartoum. From Consul Petherick's Col- 

 lection. 

 f. Adult: skeleton. Chartoum. From Consul Petherick's Collection. 



Valenciennes refers some specimens of this species to the genus 

 Chalceus, with the name of C. guile ; he says that it has the inter- 

 maxillary teeth in a triple series. The specimens in the British 

 Museum have enabled me to convince myself that these teeth are, 

 normally, in a double series, as in all the other African species of 

 Alestes and Brachyalestes ; but in old examples the second tooth of 

 the front series of each side is generally placed a little backwards, 

 as if there was not room enough for it between the first and third 

 teeth ; and there always remains a fi'ee space indicating the original 

 place which it had occupied at an earher age. For in j'ounger 

 examples the front series of intermaxillary teeth is uninterrupted ; 



* 1. Myletes alleuii, Bctm. Proc. Zool. Soc. 1834, p. 45. — Quorra. 



t There is a misprint in this description: instead of "Brfl. 1/8. Bafl. 1/11," 

 read "Bafl. 1/8. Brfl. 1/11." To this error the Guile of Joannis partly owes 

 its introduction into the system as a species. 



I This number includes the first rudimentary ray (the third simple ray being 

 the longest in tliis fin) ; and the last ray, which is split to the base, is counted as 

 two. 



