166 ORDERS OF FISHES. 



Zepidosiren (Frotaptemis) annectcns of Africa. No fossil also 

 could be referred with any certainty to this order. Eecently, 

 however, there has been discovered a most remarkable fish 

 in the rivers of Queensland (Australia), which is certainly 

 referable to this order, and which throws great light upon 

 several fossil forms. The organisation of this fish is so ex- 

 traordinary, and its affinities with some of the extinct Ganoids 

 are so numerous and important, that it will be well to quote 

 at some length the description of it given by Dr Albert 

 Giinther, one of the most eminent of living ichthyologists. 

 The fish in question has been named the Ccraiodus Foisteri 

 (fig. 534), and it is known locally as the " Barramunda." 

 It is said to attain a length of about six feet, but its average 

 length is about three feet. The Barramunda " is eel-shaped, 

 but considerably shorter and thicker than a common eel, and 

 covered with very large scales. The head is flattened and 

 broad, the eye lateral and rather small, the mouth in front 

 of the broad snout and moderately wide. The gill-openings 

 are a rather narrow slit on each side of the head. There are 

 no external nostrils. Tlie tail, which is of about the same 

 length as the body without the head, is compressed, and 

 tapers to a point, but it is surrounded by a very broad fringe, 

 supported by innumerable fine and long fin-rays. There are 

 two fore and two hind paddles, similar to each other in shape 

 and size, and very different from the fins of ordinary fishes ; 

 their central portion being covered with a scaly skin, and the 

 entire paddle surrounded by a rayed fringe. If we were to 

 cut off the hind part of the tail of a fish, the piece would 

 bear a strong resemblance to one of the paired paddles. The 

 vent is situated in the median line of the abdomen between 

 the paddles. 



" In order to obtain a view of the inside of the mouth, it 

 is necessary to slit it open, at least on one side. We then 

 notice that there is a pair of nasal openings within and on 

 each side of the cavity of the mouth. The palate is armed 

 with a pair of large, long, dental plates, with a flattish un- 

 dulated and punctated surface, and with five or six sharp 

 prongs on the outer side, entirely similar to the fossil teeth 

 described under the name of Ccratodiis. Two similar dental 



