;U4 CHARACINIDJE 



18. BEACH YALESTES* 



Alestes, sp., Mull. $• Trosch. I. c. 



The dorsal fin is placed in the middle of the length of the body, 

 ahove the ventrals; anal of moderate length. Body oblong, covered 

 with scales of moderate or large size ; belly rounded in front of the 

 ventrals. Mouth, teeth, nostrils, and gill-openings as in Alestes ; 

 the intermaxillary extends downwards on each side, covering a por- 

 tion of the anterior edge of the maxillary. 



Tropical Africa. 



1. Brachyalesxes nurse. 



Myletes nurse, R'upp. Forts. Beschr. newer Fische cles Nils, p. 12. taf. 2. 



fig. 3t. 



guile, Joannis, Guer. Mar/. Zool. 1835, pi. 9. 



Alestes nurse, Mull, fy Trosch. Hor. Ichth. i. p. 13; Cuv. fy Vol. xxii. 



p. 188. 

 Chalceus guile, Cuv. Sf Vol. xxii. p. 255. 



D. 10. A. 16+. L. lat. 29. L. transv. g. Vert. 23/15. 



The height of the body is one-third, or somewhat less than one- 

 third, of the total length (without caudal), the length of the head a 

 little more than one-fourth. The origin of the dorsal fin is only a 

 little behind that of the ventral ; the pectoral terminates at some 

 distance from the ventral. Bright silvery, with a very indistinct 

 blackish spot above the lateral line, behind the gill-opening ; some- 

 times another large blackish blotch at the base of the caudal fin. 

 Iris light yellow. 



Xile. 



a-e. Fine specimens. Chartoum. From Consul Petherick's Col- 

 lection. 

 f. Adult: skeleton. Chartoum. From Consul PethencK's Collection. 



Valenciennes refers some specimens of this species to the genus 

 Chalceus, with the name of C. guile; he says that it has the inter- 

 maxillary teeth in a triple series. The specimens in the British 

 Museum have enabled me to convince myself that these teeth are, 

 normally, in a double series, as in all the other African species of 

 Alestes and Brachyalestes ; but in old examples the second tooth of 

 the front series of each side is generally placed a little backwards, 

 as if there was not room enough for it between the first and third 

 teeth ; and there always remains a free space indicating the original 

 place which it had occupied at an earlier age. For in younger 

 examples the front series of intermaxillary teeth is uninterrupted ; 



* 1. Myletes allenii, Benn. Proc. Zool. Soc. 1834, p. 45. — Quorra. 



t There is a misprint in this description: instead of " Brfl. 1/8. Bafl. 1/11," 

 read "Bafl. 1/8. Brfl. 1/11." To this error the Guile of Joannis partly owes 

 its introduction into the system as a species. 



I This number includes the first rudimentary ray (the third simple ray being 

 the longest in this fin) ; and the last ray, which is split to the base, is counted as 

 two. 



