Freshicater Fish of Ahjeria. 387 



Tiiailc in connexion with tlie freshwatcr-Hsh fauna of Alg^cria 

 is tlic Ofciirinice of a well-known Mi-tliterrancan Blonnioul in 

 an artesian wi-U on the hiirh jilateaux of the })rovincc of Al- 

 ^nors. M. Fanton, a naturalist of Al<^iers, has presented U3 

 with a specimen of the coniinon Cristivcps argentatus^ Kisso, 

 which he assures us he caught in one of the " rigoles dV'coulc- 

 nicnt " of the Fontaine j\lalakotf, an artesian well excavated 

 in the vast depression which traverses the route between Al- 

 giers and Kl-Aghouat, known as the Basin of Zahrez. 



The following is a deseri])tion of the specimen in question, 

 which ditfers in some respects from the diagnoses of other 

 specimens with which we have compared it : — 



B.6jD.3|?; A.^; V. i 



Height of body about 5 times in total lengtli ; head 4 times 

 in the same ; snout of moderate extent, subcouical, with 

 the lower jaw somewhat prominent; no palatine teeth. The 

 Avidth of the interorbital space is half the diameter of the eye j 

 a small but rather broad fringed tentacle above orbit. 



Scales rather large and very conspicuous. A Avell-developed 

 separate dorsal fin on the na])e of the neck, supported by three 

 rather stout spines, the middle of which is nearly equal in 

 length to the last of the second dorsal, which latter is united 

 with the base of the caudal. 



Colour, after maceration in spirit, olive ; two longitudinal 

 rows of large browm blotches, about eight or nine in number, 

 along the base of the dorsal and above the lateral line ; a 

 series of white spots below the lateral line ; a narrow band 

 from the origin of the first dorsal, through eye, across cheek, 

 behind mouth ; fins immaculate. 



Length bh centimetres. 



Hah. Ain Malakoft". Mediterranean^ Ca^pe of Good IIoj)ej 

 roast of Australia. 



5. Atlierina Rissoi. 

 ?Atherina Rissoi, Cuv. & Val. x. p. 4.35, 



We think we have recognized in a small Athcrina from the 

 Metidja a species very imperfectly described by Valenciennes 

 under the above name, and which does not seem to liave been 

 recorded since. If it is not identical W'itli that species, it is 

 certainly a new one. 



D. 6-8 \y^27 ^- ra5 ^- ^^^' ^^5 L- transv. 11. 



The root of the ventral falls below the origin of the dorsal. 

 Height of body ^ of the total length ; length of head 4| times 



