168 PISCES. . 



branchiae, on the side next to the mouth, are furnished with lamellae, 

 nearly similar to the external ones, which may also assist in the pro- 

 cess of respiration. (1) Their stomach is small, and has but two 

 pyloric appendages, but their intestine is very long; the parietes of 

 their natatory bladder are thick. 



OspiiROMEXus^ Commers.(2) 



All the characters of a Polyacanthus, but the forehead is somewhat 

 concave; the anal larger than the dorsal, as in Macropodus; the sub- 

 orbitals and lower part of the prcoperculum very finely dentated; 

 the first soft ray of the ventrals extremely long; six branchial rays 

 and the body strongly compressed. A species of this genus origin- 

 ally from China, 



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

 comes as large as the Turbot, and is considered even more deli- 

 cious. It was introduced into the ponds of the Isle of France, 

 where it increases rapidly, and has been taken thence to Cay- 

 enne. The female is said to form a cavity in the sand for the 

 reception of her eggs. The 



Trichopodus, Lacep. 



Differs from Osphromenus in having a more convex forehead, and 

 a shorter dorsal, besides which there are but four rays in the bran- 

 chiae; the first soft ray of their ventrals very long. 



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

 marked with a black spot on the side. (3) 



Spirobranchus, Cuv. 



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

 operculum merely terminating in two points; a series of palatine 

 teeth. 



(1) But one species is known {Hel. Temminckii, Cuv.), from the Moluccas, 

 which we shall minutely describe in our Ictbyology. 



(2) This name is derived from la-t^gofxeLt {olfacio), and was invented by Com- 

 merson, who conjectured that the hollow pharyngeals visible in this fish, as in 

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



N.B. The Ospkromene gal. Lacep., Scarus gallus, Forsk. is a Julis, Nob.; but 

 we have two new species of true Ophromeni, Ophr. notatus, and the viitattis, Cuv. 



(3) It is the Labrus irichopterus, Gmel., Pall., Spic, Fasc. VIII, p. 45; the Tri- 

 cluypterus Pallasii, Shaw, IV, part II, p. 392; the TVichogaster trickopierus, Bl.,Schn., 

 and the TricJiopode trichoptere, Lacep. N.B. The Trichopode mmtonnier, Lacgr., 

 or T. satyrusy Shaw, vol. IV, part II, p. 391, only rests upon a bad figui-e of Gou- 



