278 Dr. A. Giinther on Reptiles and Fishes 



millim. 



Total length 110 



,, „ without caudal 95 



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. hihie 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, 

 Ixi. 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 Buch- 

 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. 



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

 p. 112. 



Alestes macrophthalmus. 

 phtha 



Talagouga. 



Alestes macrolepidotus^ C. V. 

 Old Calabar. 



Alestes leuciscus, 

 Alestes leuciscus, Giinth. Ann. & Mag. Nat. Hist. 1807, xx. p. 113. 

 Egwanga, on the Opobo River. 



