PISCES. 201 



dark bands on the back, white below; ventral and anal fins fine red, 

 a black spot at the back part of the first dorsal fin. The perch spawns in 

 the thu-d year and is then about 6" long; attains a length of 2', but is 

 rarely taken so large. — There are different species of this sub-genus in 

 North America, which closely resemble the European species, as Perca 

 • serrato-c/ranulata Cuv., Guerin Iconogr., Poiss. PI. i, fig. i. 



Family XLV. Osphromenidei (s. Lahyrinthici) . Third bony- 

 piece of tlie first branchial arch on each side irregularly deve- 

 loped, lamellose, contorted, folded, labyrinthiform, forming cells. 

 Head and opercles scaly; scales mostly large. Ventral fins tho- 

 racic. Single dorsal fin long. Branchiostegous membrane with 

 4 — 6 rays. 



This family consists of fresh-water fishes which are found in the 

 eastern hemisphere, priuci] tally between the tropics. They are dis- 

 tinguished by the property of being able to live long out of water, 

 which some of them even leave for a time. The water remains 

 suspended in the cells or cavities of the convoluted, lamellose 

 pharyngeal bones above the gills, so as to keep the latter moist 

 when the fishes are on dry land. Almost all these fishes have a 

 swimming-bladder and only two or three pyloric appendages. 



See Peters Ueher das Kienengeriint der Lahyrinth-fische, Mueller's 

 Archiv, 1853, pp. 427 — 430, Taf. xiii. fig. 4. 



Phalanx I. Several pungent rays in the anterior pav^ of anal 

 and dorsal fins. Scales ctenoid. 



a) Palatine teeth. 



SjjirohrancJius Cuv. Maxillary teeth subulate, thin, crowded. 

 Gape of mouth produced as far as under the eyes. Lateral line 

 interrupted. Operculum with two angles produced posteriorly, 

 not denticulate. Branchiostegous membrane with six rays. 



Sp. Spirohranchus capensis Cuv. ct Val. Poiss. vii. Pl. 200; in the rivers at 

 the Cape of Good Hope; about 3" long. 



Ctenojjovia Peteks. Characters almost of the preceding genus, 

 but operculum, interoperculum and suboperculum with margin den- 

 ticulate, pectinate. 



Sp. Ctenopoma muUispinis, Peters in Mvelleu's Archiv, 1846, s. 480 — 482, 

 Taf. X. figs. 10^15, from Mozambique, a small fish like Spirohranchus. 

 According to an oral communication of Dr Peters there are two pyloric 

 appendages, in which respect also this fish agrees with Spirohranchiis. 



