ACANTlIOPTEUYCrANS. 145 



tals and lower part of the preoperculiim very delicately dentated; the first 

 soft ray of the ventrals extremely long^ six branchial rays and the body 

 strongly compressed. A species of this genus originally from China. 



Osphr. olfax, Commers. ; the Gourami, Lacep. Ill, iii, 2, be- 

 comes as large as tlie Turbot, and is considered even more delicious. 

 It was introduced into the ponds of the Isle of France, where it in- 

 creases rapidly, and has been taken thence a short time since to 

 Cayenne. The female is said to dig a cavity in the sand for the re- 

 ception of her eggs. The 



Trichopouus, Lacep. 



Differ from Osphromenus in having a more convex forehead, and a shorter 

 dorsal, besides which there are but four rays in the branchiae; the first 

 soft ray of their ventrals is also very long. 



There is but one species known; a small fish of the Moluccas, 

 marked with a black spot on the side*. 



Spirobranchus, Cuv. 



Possess the general form of Anabas, but the opercula are not dentated; 

 the operculum merely terminating in two points ; a series of palatine teeth. 

 Sp. capensis, Cuv. A diminutive fresh-water fish from the Capo 

 of Good Hope; the only species known. The 



Ophicephalus, Bl. 



Resemble all the preceding genera in most of their characters, and parti- 

 cularly in the cellular conformation of the pharyngeals, which are adapted 

 to retain water. These fishes also creep to a considerable distance from 

 their ordinary abodes, but what particularly distinguishes, and even sepa- 

 rates, them, from all other Acanthopterygians, is the absence of spines in 

 the fins, the first ray of their ventrals at most excepted, and even tbat, 

 though simple, is not sharp and stiff. Their body is elongated and almost 

 cylindrical; their muzzle short and obtuse; their head depressed and fur- 

 nished above with scales, or rather polygonal plates, as in Anabas, &c. 

 There are five rays in their branchiae ; the dorsal occupies nearly their 

 whole length, the anal also is very long, the caudal rounded, the pectorals 

 and ventrals moderate, and the lateral line uninterrupted. Their stomach 

 is shaped like an obtuse sac ; two tolerably long csecuras adhere to the 

 pylorus. The abdominal cavity extends above the anal, close to the end 

 of the tail. All the jugglers of India exhibit this fish out of water for 

 the diversion of spectators, and even the children amuse themselves by 

 forcing it to crawl upon the ground. In the markets of China the larger 



by Ccmmerson, who conjectured tliat the hollow pharyngeals visible in this fish, as 

 in others of the family, might be organs of smell, a kind of aethmoides. 



N. B. 'I'he Osphromeiie gal., Lacep., Scarus galliis, Forsk., is a Julis, Cuv.; but we 

 have two new species of true Ophromeni, Opiir. tiotaius, and the vitiatus, Cuv. 



• It is the Labnis tric/wptenis, Gme]., Pall., Spic, Fasc. VIII, p. 45; the Trichop- 

 terus Pallasii, Shaw, IV, part II, p. 392; the Trichogaster irichopterus, Bl., Schn., 

 and the Trirhopode trirlw/itere, Lacep. N. B. The Trichopode mentoimier, Lacgr., or 

 T. suiyrus, Shaw, vol. IV, part 1 1, p. 391, Only rests upon a bad figure of Gourami. 

 VOL. II. L 



