345 



tropical countries. Able to live in rivers and ponds, even in 

 somewhat brackish water, but thriving best in shallow, weedy 

 ponds; rising to the surface to respire air. When breeding, 

 the fish takes care of its young. The eggs are attached to 

 water plants or received in a nest, composed of plants. The 

 gourami is essentially a vegetable feeder, but he feeds also 

 on insects, fish and decomposed matter. 



6. Macropodus Lacepede. 



(Lacki'KUE, Hist. Nat. I'oiss. 111. 1802, p. 416 & 417). 



PolyacantliHs Cuvier & Valenciennes, Hist. Nat. Poissons, 



VII. 183 1, p. 353 (p.p.). 



Macropus Giinther, Cat. Brit. Mus. Ill, 1859 — i86l, p. 381. 



PsctidosphromeTtus Bleaker, Verh. Akad. Amsterdam XIX. 1879, 



Mem. Poiss. pharyng. labyrinth, p. 17. 



Compressed, oblong. Mouth slightly protractile, its cleft small, 

 oblique; maxillary not reaching orbit. Praeorbital serrated. 

 Jaws with small, fixed conical teeth; palate edentulous. Scales 

 ciliated, rather large, regularly arranged; lateral line indicated 

 by an incomplete series of scales with a hole in the centre 

 or absent. Dorsal with 13 — 17 spines and 5 — 8 rays, its origin 

 nearly above that of anal which has 16 — 20 spines and 9 — -15 

 rays. Soft dorsal and anal with branched rays, the posterior 

 more or less prolonged. Both fins with a scaly sheath at the 

 base. Caudal forked, the lobes produced. Pectorals rounded. 

 Ventrals inserted below base of pectorals, with a spine and 

 5 rays, the exterior of which are elongate. Part of prae-, sub- 

 and interopercle finely serrated. 



Distribution: Pulu Weh near Sumatra, Malay Peninsula, 

 British India, Ceylon and China, Cochin China, Loo Choo 

 Islands, P'ormosa. 



In lowland streams, estuaries, shallow waters within or not 

 far removed from tidal influence, living at the surface of the 

 water, occasionally near the bottom, from where they rise to 

 breath air. Though they are vegetable feeders they are reported 

 to be effective musquito-destroyers. 



Key to the i n d o-a ust ralian species of Macropodus. 



1. Anallwilh 9 — 12 rays. Fins scaleless, except for the 



basal sheath. Operculum without black spot M. ciipaiins p. 346. 



2. Anal with 11 — 15 rays. Small scales on the fins in 



addition to the basal sheath. A black spot on operculum. M. opcrctilaris p. 346. 



