332 POLTNEMID.^ 



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

 merus ; the tsvo 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 lamella), the in- 

 terior of which is the broadest. 



There arc nine abdominal and fifteen caudal vertebrrp, the lenp;th 

 of the former portion of the A'crtebral column being to that of the 

 caudal as 1 : 2. All the neural, haemal, interneural and interhtcmal 

 spines are verj^ feeble, except the first interneural of each of the dor- 

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



3. GALEOIDES. 



Polynemus, sp., Block, Schneider, Cur. 8f J^al. 



Two separate dorsals, the first with eight spines ; all the spines 

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

 on the i)alutine bones, bands of villiform teeth ; none on the vomer 

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

 bladder simple, large.] 



West coast of Africa. 



1. Galeoides Polydactylies. 



Polynemus polydactylus, Vahl in Skrir. Nattirh. Sclsk. iv. p. 158; 

 Bl. Schn. p. 19. 



dekadactylus, Block, taf. 401 ; Bl. Schn. p. 19 ; Cuv. ^- Val. iii. p. 892. 



enneadactylus, Cue. 4* Val. iii. p. 392, vii. p. 518. 



D. 8 1 3^. A. l^. 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 veiy large. 



* Specimens with nine appendages. 



a. Adidt. Africa. 



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



c. Adult : skeleton. Africa. From the Haslar Collection. 



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



lection. 



** Specimen with ten appendages. 

 /. Adult, River Niger. From Mr. Frascr's Collection. 



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

 the skull 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 suju-a- 

 occipital ; there is an o[)en groove in the middle. The crests arc 

 moderately elevated, the outer one forming merely a promint^nt ridge. 

 The cleft of the moiith is not very wid(\ niid therefore" tho jn\v-))ones 



