1.5. SCHILBE. 51 



o. Seven inches long. Chartoum. From Consul Petherick's Collec- 

 tion. — This specimen has swallowed an Alestes 5 inches long ! 

 p. Adult : skeleton. Lower Nile. From Mr. S. S. Allen's Collection. 



3 Schilbe dispila. 

 B. 10. D. 1/6. A. 56. P. 1/11. V. 6. 



The height of the body is contained four times in the total length 

 (without caudal), the length of the head four times and two-thirds ; 

 the greatest width of the head equals its length without snout. The 

 lower jaw is the longer ; the cleft of the mouth twice as broad as 

 long. Nasal barbels shorter than those of the maxillaries, which 

 extend to the end of the head ; the posterior mandibulary barbels 

 are much longer than the anterior, and are as long as those of the 

 maxillaries. The diameter of the eye is two-ninths of the length 

 of the head. The origin of the dorsal fin is somewhat in advance 

 of that of the ventral, the width of its base being equal to that 

 of the latter ; its height is less than the length of the head ; its spine 

 is slender, shorter than the first ray, and equal in length to the head 

 without snout ; it is finely serrated posteriorly. The anal fin termi- 

 nates close to the caudal, but is not united with it. Caudal fin 

 forked, with the lobes rounded ; the length of the lower lobe is nearly 

 one-seventh of the total. (Pectoral spines broken off, rather strong 

 at the base.) Pectoral fin as long as the dorsal is high. The length 

 of the ventral is one-half of that of the head. Brownish above, silvery 

 on the sides and on the belly ; • a round black spot on the lateral line 

 between the dorsal and pectoral fins. 



West Africa. Upper Nile. 



a. Seven inches long. River Niger. From Mr. Fraser's Collection. 

 b-c. Young. Upper Nile, 500 miles south of Chartoum. From 

 Consul Petherick's Collection. 



4. Schilbe hasselquistii. 



Silurus schilbe niloticus, Hasselq. Reise nach Pulcest. p. 419. 

 Schilbe hasselquistii, Cuv. fy Val. xiv. p. 377. 



B. 9. D. 1/5. A. 63-64. P. ^. V. 6. 



The upper jaw is longer, or not shorter, than the lower. The 

 length of the head is contained six times and a half in the total ; its 

 width is three-fifths of its length. Maxillary barbels half as long 

 as the head. (Val.) 



Nile. 



5. Schilbe senegalensis. 

 Schilbe senegallus, Cuv. <§• Val xiv. p. 378. 



B. 8. D. 1/5. A. 56-57. 

 Jaws equal in length anteriorly. The dorsal and anal spines are 

 more slender than- in Sch. mystus. (Val.) 

 Senegal. 



k 2 



