332 POLTNEMID^ 



rather wide, and fastened by a broad suture to a process of the hu- 

 merus ; the two processes of each of the humeral bones are firmly 

 attached to each other. The two pubic bones do not leave a free 

 space between them, and each is formed of three lameUse, the in- 

 terior of which is the broadest. 



There are nine abdominal and fifteen caudal vertebrae, the length 

 of the former portion of the vertebral column being to that of the 

 caudal as 1 : 2. All the neui-al, haemal, interneui-al and intei'haemal 

 spines are very feeble, except the first internciu'al of each of the dor- 

 sal fins, which is transformed into a rather broad bony plate. 



3. GALEOIDES. 



Polynemus, sp., Bloch, Schneider, Cm: 8f Tal. 



Two separate dorsals, the first 'ndth eight spines ; all the spines 

 feeble : the soft dorsal and the anal nearly equal. In both jaws, and 

 on the palatine bones, bands of villiform teeth ; none on the vomer 

 or pterygoids. Prseoperculum serrated. Scales moderate. [Air- 

 bladder simple, large.] 



West coast of Africa. 



1. Galeoides polydactylus. 



Polynemus polydactylus, Vahl in Skriv. Nuturh. Selsk. iv. p. 158; 

 Bl. Schn. p. 19. 



dekadactylus, Block, taf. 401 ; Bl Schn. p. 19 ; Cuv. Sr Val. iii. p. 392. 



enneadactylus, Cuv. Sf Val. iii. p. 392, vii. p. 518. 



D. 8 1 ^. A. ^. L. lat. 47-48. L. transv. 5/9. Vert. 10/14. 



Nine or ten pectoral appendages of inconsiderable length. 

 Western coasts of Africa. 



Air-bladder very large. 



* Specimens with nine appendages. 



a. Adult. Africa. 



b. Adult : bad state. Africa. From the Haslar Collection. 



c. Adult : skeleton. Afi-ica. From the Haslar Collection. 



d. e. Half-grown : very bad state. Africa. From the Haslar Col- 



lection. 



** Specimen with ten appeiulages. 

 f. Adult. River Niger. From Mr. Fraser's Collection. 



Skeleton. — The system of the muciferous channels of the bones of 

 the skuU is moderately developed, those on the upper surface of the 

 skull being the widest. Each frontal bone has two tubes, slightly 

 divergent, and radiating from the anterior extremity of the sujira- 

 occipital ; there is an open groove in the middle. The crests are 

 moderately elevated, the outer one forming merely a prominent ridge. 

 The cleft of the mouth is not very wide, and therefore the jaw-bones 



