190 



Acanthop- 

 terygii. 

 I.abyrin- 

 thitbrni 

 Pliarvn- 

 geals. 



ICHTHYOLOGY. 



numerous in tlie Indian seas, is characterized by a fea- 

 ture believed to be unique among fishes, that of having 

 both the outer and inner ray of the ventral fins spiny. 

 The genus Acanthurus, Bloch, has the teeth cutting 

 and dentated, and a strong moveable spine on each side 

 of the tail, capable of inflicting a severe vvound on those 

 who grasp it incautiously. On this account a species 

 greatly sought for in the West Indies as food has re- 

 ceived the name of surgeon, Ac. Chirurgus. As an ex- 

 ample we here figure the Acanthurus Delisianus. See 

 Plate CCCIII. fig. 7. In the genus Naseus the sides of 

 the tail are armed witli fixed spines, and the teeth are coni- 

 cal. The great peculiarity, however, consists in a horn- 

 like prominence on the front of the head. The skin re- 

 sembles leather. Forskall relates of one species (N.fron- 

 ticornis, Lac.) that although of peaceable demeanour and 

 herbivorous habits, it knows hoiv to defend itself from 

 unprovoked aggression ; and he reports the observations 

 of some Arabian fishermen, who saw a troop of them come 

 to the rescue of a companion who had been transfixed on 

 the surfiice of the water by an eagle. They so bothered 

 the " Bird of Jove" as eventually to produce his death by 

 drowning. This, however, savours more of an " Arabian 

 Tale" than of a fact in natural history. See Plate CCCIII. 

 fig. 9. The reader will perceive in the two preceding re- 

 presentations a resemblance to the genus Chaetodon. The 

 remaining genera of this small family are Axinurus and 

 Priodon, Cuv. 



FAMILY X— LABYRINTHIF0R5I PHARYNGEALS. 



By this term Baron Cuvier means to designate the pe- 

 culiar structure of a part of the upper pharyngeal bones, 

 which are divided into leaflets more or less numerous 

 and irregular. This formation produces cells capable of 

 containing water, which flows upon and moistens the 

 branchise for some time after the fish itself has been re- 

 moved from its natural element; and this refreshing in- 

 fluence is rendered the more effectual by the closeness of 

 the opercula or gill-covers. The consequence is, that most 

 of the species possess the power of quitting their streams 

 and pools, and creeping, as it were, to some little distance 

 from their watery homes, — a faculty not unknown to an- 

 cient writers, and one which in India has led to the belief 

 that these fishes fall from heaven. 



Genus Anabas. In this genus the labyrinths alluded 

 to attain the greatest degree of complication. Neverthe- 

 less the third pharyngeals have teeth en paves, and there 

 are others beneath the back of the cranium. The body 

 is round, covered by strong scales ; the head large ; the 

 muzzle short and obtuse ; the mouth small ; the lateral 

 line interrupted about its posterior third. The margins 

 of the opercle, sub-opercle, and inter-opercle, are strong- 

 ly toothed, but not those of the pre-opercle. The bran- 

 chial membrane has five rays. There are many spiny 

 rays to the dorsal, and even to the anal fin. The stomach 

 is of medium size, rounded. The pylorus has only three 

 appendices. 



The generic name is derived from the Greek, anajSaim, 

 to ascetid, and refers to the singular instinct of the only 

 known species (A71. scaiidens, Plate CCCIII. fig. 11), which 

 induces it to climb trees.' It performs this action by 

 means of the spiny processes of the gill-covers, and moves 

 at pleasure up the trunks of trees which grow by the 

 water side. It was observed by Lieutenant Daldorff, at 

 Tranquebar, ascending by a fissure in the stem of the 



Labynii- 

 thiforni 

 Pharyn- 

 geals. 



palm called Borassus Jlabellifer, and was also found to Acanthop 

 be so tenacious of life as to move about upon the dry terygii 

 sand for some hours after it was captured on the tree.* 

 At the same time other respectable observers who have 

 attended to this species in its natural state, make no men- 

 tion of the fact. M. Reinwardt has frequently taken the 

 Anabas at Java, but never heard any climbing propensi- 

 ties attributed to it ; M. Leschenault, who transmitted se- 

 veral specimens to Pondicherry, simply observes that they 

 dwell in rivers and fresh-water ponds ; while Mr Hamil- 

 ton Buchanan proceeds still further, and not only denies 

 the fact, but regards it as contrary to the laws of nature. 

 One point, however, is certain, that it is capable of living 

 an unusual length of time out of the water, a fact in per- 

 fect accordance with the peculiar structure of its pharyn- 

 geals. It also creeps about upon the ground for hours 

 together, and the fishermen are alleged to keep it alive 

 for five or six days in a dry vessel. It is thus brought 

 alive to the markets of Calcutta from the great marshes 

 of the district of Yazor, which are distant more than a 

 hundred and fifty miles. " Les charlatans et jongleurs," 

 says Cuvier, " dont ITnde abonde, ont generalemeftt de 

 ces poissons avec eux dans des vases, pour amuser la po- 

 pulace de leurs mouvemens."^ 



Passing over the nearly allied genera of Helostoma, 

 Polyacanthus, Colisa, and Macropodus, we arrive at 

 the 



Genus Osphronemus of Commerson, of which .the 

 forehead is somewhat concave, the anal fin larger than 

 the dorsal, the sub-orbitals and base of the pre-opercle 

 finely dentated, and the first soft ray of the ventrals re- 

 markably prolonged. There are six branchial rays, and 

 the general form of the body is much compressed. 



This genus contains the Os. olfax, or Gourami, one of the 

 most famous for its flavour of all the fishes of the East. 

 See Plate CCCIII. fig. 10.) It grows as large as a turbot, 

 and is even more delicious than that favourite food. Com- 

 merson has recorded in his manuscript that he never tast- 

 ed so exquisite a fish, — " Nihil inter pisces turn marinos 

 tum fluviatiles exquisitius unquam degustavi ;" and he 

 adds, that the Dutch of Batavia rear them in large earth- 

 en vessels, renewing the water every day, and feeding 

 them on aquatic plants, particularly Pistia nutans. That 

 navigator was also of opinion that the species had been 

 imported originally from China to the Isle of France, and 

 it appears to have been recently conveyed to the French 

 colonies in South America by Captain Philibert. Its im- 

 portation to Europe would be well worth attempting, and 

 would probablj' be attended by success if the Gourami, 

 like the golden carp, is actually a native of China. It 

 does not, however, appear that any mention is made of it 

 in any natural history notices of that empire, and it seems 

 as yet unknown in India. It is said that the female Gou- 

 rami hollows out a little foss in the side of the pond where 

 she is kept, for the purpose of depositing her eggs in 

 safety. 



The remaining genera of this group are Thichopus, 

 Spirobranchus, and Ophicephalus. Of the former two 

 only a single species is known of each. The last named is 

 more numerous, and is deserving of a brief notice. 



The Ophicephali resemble all the preceding genera of 

 the family in the majority of their characters, and particu- 

 larly in the celhilar disposition of their pharyngeals, which 

 seem equally adapted for the singular retention of water 

 before alluded to. They can consequently also creep to a 

 considerable distance from their liquid abodes ; but what 

 particularly distinguishes and even separates them irom all 



' It is synonymous with Perca scandcns of Daldorf, and Coins coioiiii of Buchanan. In the Tamoiil language it is called Paneiri, 

 or the tree climber. 



* Linn. Trant. vol iii p. G2. » Hitt. Jfat. dct Poition; t. vii. p. 332. 



