148 Mr. G. A. Boulenger on neio 



XIX. — On new Fishes from the Loioer Congo. 

 By G. A. Boulenger. 



The Trustees of the British Museum have recently acquired 

 some fishes collected by M. F. Hens on the Lower Congo, 

 among which are three undescribed species. In addition to 

 these the three following are of interest as new to the fish- 

 fauna of the Congo, or at least not recorded in Dr. Sauvage's 

 recent list in Bull. Soc. Zool. France, 1884, pp. 201, 202:— 

 Chromis Dumeriln, Stdr. ; Channallahes ajjus, Gtln*. ; and 

 Polypterus ^almas^ Ayres. 



Ctenopoma congicum. 

 D. 17/8. A. 11/10. L. lat. 27. L. tr. ?. 



The depth of the body is one third of the total length 

 (without caudal), the length of the head three tenths. Dia- 

 meter of the eye greater than the length of the snout, two 

 sevenths the length of the head. Operculum terminating in 

 two processes, the upper with four or five spines, the lower 

 witli one, separated by a non- serrated crescentic notch ; sub- 

 operculum strongly serrated. Four series of scales between 

 the orbit and the angle of the prgeoperculum. The soft rays 

 of the vertical fins covered with small scales, the ctenoid 

 character of which is strongly marked. The pectoral reaches 

 to below the fourteenth perforated scale of the lateral line. 

 Outer soft ray of the pectoral produced, filiform, extending 

 to the base of the penultimate anal spine. Blackish brown, 

 with light spots on the lower half of the body and on the tail. 



Total length 70 millim. 



Native name " Kouendd." Inhabits the laganas in the 

 islands of the Lower Congo, and is never found in the river 

 itself {F. Hens). 



Clarias melas. 

 D. 105. A. 88. P. 1/7. 



Caudal fin united with dorsal and anal. Vomerine teeth 

 villiform, forming a crescentric band, which in its middle is a 

 little narrower than that of the pramaxillaries ; the band of 

 mandibular teeth is a little broader than that of the pra^max- 

 illaries and likewise composed of villiform teeth. Head finely 

 rugose above, its length to the end of the occipital process one 

 sixth of the total (without caudal) ; the height of the body 

 one tenth. Occipital process acute. The width of the head 



