41. DISTICIIODUS. 361 



nieii from West Africu belongs to the present sijecics, as it has been 

 much injured. 



Nile. West Africa. 



a. Fine specimen, 14 inches long. Lower Nile. From Consul 



Petherick's Collection. 



b. Stuffed: 32 inches long. West Africa. Purchased of Mr. Dalton. 



3. Distichodus engycephalus. 

 D. 24. A. 13. V. 11. L. lat. 80. L. transv. 14/13. 



The height of the body is contained thrice, or twice and three- 

 fourths, in the total length (without caudal), the length of the head 

 four times and one-third or four times and one-foui'th. Snout 

 pointed, compressed ; head compressed ; the interorbital space is very 

 convex, its width being contained twice and two-thii-ds in the length 

 of the head. The lower jaw with about twenty teeth. The anal 

 fin does not extend to the root of the caudal, if laid backwards. 

 Silvery ; sides with four irregular series of round blackish spots, each 

 as large as, or smaller than, the eye. Dorsal fin with very indistinct 

 spots, which are partly confluent. 



This species wiU be easily recognized by its compressed head. 



Upper Nile. 



a-h. From 5-Gi inches long. Chartoum. From Consul Petherick's 

 Collection. 



4. Distichodus brevipiunis. 

 D. 20. A. 15. V. 11. L. lat. 90. L. transv. 17/23. 



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

 total length (without caudal), the length of the head thrice and 

 three-fourths. Snout as broad as, or even broader than, long, ob- 

 tuse in front ; lips thick ; interorbital space very convex, its width 

 being contained twice and one-fifth in the length of the head. 

 The lower jaw with twenty or twenty-two teeth. The length of 

 the base of the dorsal fin is only thrce-foiuths of that of the head ; 

 the distance between the two dorsal fins equals the length of the 

 base of the adipose fin. The anal extends to the root of the caudal, 

 if laid backwards. Body ^vith large rounded l)lackisli spots, each 

 being twice as large as the eye. Dorsal fin with subcjuadi-ungular 

 blackish spots, irregularly arranged. 



Upper Nile. 



a-c. Five and six inches long. Chartoum. From Consul Petherick's 

 Collection. 



5. Distichodus schenga. 

 Pders, Monatsbcr, Akad. Wm. Berl. 1852, p. 276. 



D. 2fi. A. 15-16. L. lat. 67-69. L. transv. 13/13. 

 The height of the body is one-third of the total length (without 

 caudal), the length of the head nearly one-fifth. Snout compressed, 

 somewhat pointed ; interorbital space very convex, its width being a 



