316 CHARACINID^. 



of the head four times ; the teeth of the hinder intermaxillary series 

 are compressed, multicuspid, without enlarged anterior portion ; the 

 two conical teeth of the mandible verj^ small. The maxillary extends 

 to below the anterior margin of the orbit. The origin of the dorsal 

 fin is a little behind that of the ventral, and somewhat nearer to the 

 extremity of the snout than to the base of the caudal. The pectoral 

 extends to the ventral. Adult specimens with the fourth and fifth 

 dorsal rays produced into a filament ; anal with the lower margin 

 convex. The lateral line runs entirely in the lower half of the body, 

 occupying the lowermost series of scales on the free portion of the 

 tail. Silvery, back blackish ; a broad black band runs along the 

 middle of the fi'ee portion of the tail and along the middle caudal 

 rays ; vertical fins with a reddish hue ; the paired fins with a blackish 

 margin. 



West Africa. 

 a-e. Adult (4 inches long) and half-grown. Sierra Leone. Pur- 

 chased of Mr. Stevens. 

 /. Half-grown, Eiver Congo. Presented by the Eoyal College of 



Surgeons. 

 (J. Young. West Africa. Purchased of Mr. Damon. 

 7t. Adult : skeleton. Sierra Leone. Purchased of Mr. Stevens. 



4. Brachyalestes imberi. 



Alestes imberi, Peters, Monatsber. Acad. Wiss. Berl. 1852, p. 270. 

 D. 10. A. 17-18. y. 10. L. lat. 20. L. transv. 7. 



The height of the body is somewhat more than one-third of the 

 total length (without caudal), the length of the head one-fourth. 

 The origin of the dorsal fin is a little in front of that of the ventral. 

 Silveiy, with a black spot behind the shoulder, and with another 

 one at the root of the caudal. 



Zambesi. 



a-b. Adult and young. Presented by Professor Peters. 



5. Brachyalestes acutidens. 



Alestes acutidens, Peters, llonatsber. Acad. Wiss. Berl. 1852, p. 276. 

 D. 10. A. 19. V. 9. L.. lat. 23. L. transv. 4/2. 



The height of the body is contained thrice and two-thirds in the 

 total length (without caudal), the length of the head four times. 

 The origin of the dorsal fin is a little behind that of the venti-al. A 

 broad silvery band runs along the side of the body. 



Eastern Africa. 



a-b. Zambesi. Presented by Professor Peters, 

 c. Eiver Eovuma. Presented by Dr. Kirk. 



