MICKACANTJIUS.— AXABAMin.K. 47 



1. MICRACANTHUS. 

 S:iuv. Bull. Soc. riiilom. (7) iii. 1678, \>. "J.'), aiul N. Artli. :\liis. (I'j iii. 1S80, 

 p. :\7. 

 Body rounded, elongate, covered with moderately large strongly 

 ctenoid scales ; no lateral line. Mouth rather small, with small teeth. 

 Bones of head not serrated ; no opercular spines. Dorsal fin short, 

 with 3 spines; anal long, with 4 spines. "N'ontral fins a little behind 

 vertical of base of pectoral, with a feeble spine and 5 soft rays. 

 Ogowe. 



1. MKliAcANTIirs MAKCIIII. 

 Siiuv. tt. cc. |i|i. '.Hi, ;5.s, \<\. iii. ti;;, 4. 



Depth of body equal to length of head, 3^ times in total length. 

 Snout hardly as long as eye, which is 4 times in length of head ; 3 series 

 of scales on tlie cheek. Dorsal III 7 ; spines very short, longest soft 

 rays about as long as head. Anal IV 23 ; rays increasing in length 

 posteriorly. Pectoral a little shorter than head. Outer soft ray of 

 ventral ))roduced. Caudal rounded. Caudal peduncle much deeper 

 than long. Scales in 35 longitudinal and 9 transverse series. Uniform 

 brown. 



Total lengtli 4-5 millim. 



Ogowe. — Type, in Paris Museum, examined. 



The type of this family, Osplinimcinis olfa.v, Cnv., has been accli- 

 matised in Mauritius. It is remarkable for its large size (up to -lOO 

 millim.), its deep compressed body, the much produced, filamentous 

 outer soft ray of the ventral, and tlie presence of 11 to 13 dorsal and 

 9 to 1:^ anal spines. 



Fam. 13. ANABANTID.E. 



A supetbranchial res[)iratory organ, situated in a cavity above the 

 gills.. Mouth protractile, the maxillaries excluded from the oral 

 border; palate toothed. Suborbitals with internal laminae, supporting 

 the eye ; lower pharyngeal bones large, united, with persistent suture ; 

 gill-membranes grown to istlimus ; 4 branchiostegal rays ; two nostrils 

 on each side. Dorsal and anal fins long, with numerous spines. Ventral 



