'.)',]{) I'OLYNKMlD.Ti. 



/, //(. Half-grown, (.'alcultii. From tlic Collection of Messrs. mid 



8clilagintwcit. 

 n. Adult. Ccyloii. From Mr. Cumiug'.s Collection. 

 o-q. Half-grown. India. Presented by G. 11. Waterhouse, Ks<|. 



Air-bladder none ; pyloric appendages in ininieiisc number. 



20. Polyiieraus quadritilis. 



Cue. ^- Vai iii. p. 890, vii. p. olH. pi. (jS. 



D. 8|i. A. f^. Ca)c. pylor. 17. 



Four pectoral appendages of moderate length. 'I'he vomerine 

 teeth form a small and roundish grouj). 

 Western coast of Africa 



Air-bladder very large. 



2 1 . Polynemus tridactylus. 



h'keki'i; J'erc. p. o7 (not Mitcli.). 



D. 8 I 13. A. ^. L. lat. 7<>. 



Three pectoral appendages of moderate length. 

 Sea of Batavia. 



2. PENTANEMUS. 



Peutanemus, Artedi in Sebce TJiesaui , iii. p. 74. 



Vertical fins partly naked. Two separate dorsals, the first with 

 eight spines ; all the spines feeble : the anal much h)nger than the 

 soft dorsal In both jaws, on the palatine and pterygoid bones, 

 bands of villiform teeth ; none on the vomer. Scales moderate, 

 ciliated. Pra^operculum entire. Pyloric appendages in moderate 

 number. Air-bladder present. 



West coast of Africa ; Caribbean Sea. 



Strange as it may appear, this genus and species may be consi- 

 dered as a new discovery, although they represent the first Poli/- 

 tiemidce known. Artedi, Seba, Gronow, and Linne were acquainted 

 with the fish : the first founded the genus Peutanemus (afterwards 

 altered into Polynemus) on it, the second gave a very good figtire, the 

 third an excellent description, and Liniie introduced it into the 

 system Avith the other species then knoA\ai ; but all this was consi- 

 dered of little value by Cuvier, who doubted their accuracy, and 

 tlu)ught the fish to be merely a defoi'med representation of Poh/nemus 

 paradlseus. liennctt first again recognized the original fish of Artedi, 

 whilst Pel, superficially, only consulted the literature and desciibed 

 the si)ecies as new. The centre of its habitat nmst be considered to be 

 the African part of the Atlantic, although it appears to range as far 

 as the West Indies, lilce many other fishes. All the naturalists 

 alcove mentioned correctly state the Atlantic as its native sea. 



