278 Dr. A. Giinther on Reptiles and Fishes 



milliru. 



Total length 110 



„ „ without caudal 9o 



Length of the head 22 



Diameter of the eye 6 



Ogowe River. 



This is one of the most interesting fishes in the collection. 

 Originally described and figured in a very rude manner from 

 a small specimen from the Nile, L. bible has remained undis- 

 covered in that river up to the present time. De Joannis 

 does not mention the bluish cross-bars, which, however, are 

 very faint. It is most desirable that specimens from the 

 Nile should be directly compared with West- African ones. 



I am unable to arrive at a definite conclusion as to whether 

 Barilius senegalensis, Steindachner (SB. Wien. Akad. 1870, 

 lxi. p. 564, Taf. v. fig. 2), from the Senegal, should be referred 

 to this species. Lat. 1. 59-63 ; maxillary extending to 

 behind the centre of the eye. 



I am equally uncertain with regard to Opsaridium Buck- 

 holzi, Peters (MB. Berl. Akad. 1876, p. 251, fig. 4). It also 

 comes from the Ogowe River ; but, to judge from the dia- 

 gnosis and figure, Peters's fish has fewer scales in the lateral 

 line (46), a smaller eye and longer snout (the specimens are 

 of about the same size), and a longer maxillary, which reaches 

 behind the middle of the eye. Peters represents his fish 

 without any colour-markings. 



Assuming that there are two distinct species of Barilius 

 in West Africa, from a geographical point of view B. senegal- 

 ensis would probably prove to be identical with the Nile fish, 

 whilst the Ogowe specimens described by Peters and myself 

 might prove to be the second species ; but this assumption is 

 not confirmed by the. description of the various authors. 

 Thus, as not one of the descriptions extant fully agrees with 

 our specimen, I apply at present the oldest name to it. 



macrophthalmus. 

 phthalmus, Gii 



Talagouga. 



Alestes macrophthalmus, Giinth. Ann. & Mag. Nat. Hist. 1867, xx. 

 p. 112. 



macrolepidotus, C. V. 

 Old Calabar. 



Alestes leuciscus. 

 Alestes leuciscus, Giinth. Ann. & Mag. Nat. Hist. 1867, xx. p. 113. 

 Egwanga, on the Opobo River. 



