* Fauna : Reptiles, Amphibians, and Fish 



Indian Ocean, a few forms seem to be limited in their distribution 

 to the West African coast between the Gambia and the Gaboon. 



Amongst these is the extraordinary Psettus seb<e, which is 

 literally broader than it is long. The back fin and the fins along 

 the belly are, together with the ridge of the back and under-parts, 

 prolonged in both directions to such an exaggerated extent that 

 the depth of the fish is perhaps half again as much as its length 

 from head to tail. This Tsettus is present in all months of the 

 year in the sea and salt-water lagoons off the Liberian coast. 

 It is a beautiful object when freshly caught, as it is of such a 

 silvery and metallic appearance that it might really be made of 

 silver with a slightly tarnished appearance here and there. 



Another fish which is perfectly beautiful from the colour 

 point of view is a large sea bream, a member of the Sparid<e 

 family, allied to the snappers and gropers of Eastern seas. This 

 fish (Dentex sp. ?) is in general a bright vermilion all over, with 

 mauve, pink, crimson, and yellow fluctuations. It may some- 

 times be as much as three feet in length. It is excellent eating, 

 and can be caught with rod and line. Fish of this genus Dentex 

 as well as other members of the Sparid<e order are hermaphrodite 

 that is to say, both sexes are combined in the same individual. 



The marine perches (Serranida} are well represented 

 in the Liberian fisheries. Several species of Serranus and 

 Lutianus are also said to be hermaphrodite, and produce both 

 milt and roe. They have exceedingly sharp spines in the long 

 back fin. The " barracuda " (Sphyr<ena) grows to a considerable 

 size nearly eight feet, and is found not only in the sea but in 

 the estuaries of Liberian rivers. It is a fierce fish, and the 

 natives profess to be much afraid of it in the water. Biittikofer 

 records having caught or seen an example of a barracuda in the 

 Mafa River which measured as much as ten feet in length and 

 which developed tusks of considerable size in both upper and 



829 



