INDIAN AND AFEICAN FKESHWATEE FISH-FATJNAS. 315 



extent. Consequently, one can scarcely argue tlaat, because two 

 genera of Labyrinthici are sparingly found in Africa and seven in 

 Asia, some of these last being composed of many species or 

 varieties extending in large numbers over wide distances, that 

 the fishes of this family are common to the two continents, which, 

 although true in fact, may be misleading without any expla- 

 nation. 



Eespecting the SiLTJEiDiE, the marine and freshwater forms 

 have been so mixed up in the ' Introduction to the Study of 

 JFishes ' (p. 222), that there will be a little difficulty in disen- 

 tangling them; but to do this I must examine them in suc- 

 cession. 



" Claeiina (Africa), 12 species " (Introduction, p. 222). — 11 

 forms pertaining to his Indian region are given in the Catalogue 

 (vol. V.) ; also of Chacina 3, as in ' Introduction' ; of Siltjeina 

 63 species (several nominal) are given in the Catalogue for this 

 region, and more are in the ' Eecord.' 



" Bageina (Africa), 50 species." — Macrones, 20 species ; Pseu- 

 dohagrus, 4 species ; Liocassis, 4 species ; Bagroides, 3 species ; 

 Bagrichthys, 1 species ; Bita, 4 species ; AcrocTiordonichthys, 

 6 species ; AJcysis, 3 species ; Olyra, 1 species ; Branchiosteus, 

 1 species ; or 47 in the Catalogue. The omitted species it is 

 unnecessary to follow out. 



" Aeiina (Africa, Australia, and South America), 40 species." 

 — Here again we have a large marine and estuary family placed 

 among the freshwater fish-fauna ! It is captured within the in- 

 fluence of the tides, or even occasionally ascending into and be- 

 coming imprisoned in brackish waters, and so may be left there 

 until the next year's rains ; but it is hardly correct to say " Some 

 of the species prefer brackish to fresh water, and a few enter the 

 sea but keep near to the coast " (p. 569). Hamilton Buchanan 

 says of Ageneiosus mino, " This fish is found in the upper part of 

 the estuaries, that is, where the water possesses little or no salt- 

 ness " (Grangetic Fishes, p. 159); Pimelodiis gagora, "It is 

 common in the estuaries of Bengal " (Z. c. p. 167); B. sagor "is 

 found along 'with, gagora'''' (I. c. p. 169); of B. arius, "found in 

 the same places as the gangora" (I. c. p. 170); B.jatius " ia 

 found in the same place, grows to the same size, and has similar 

 colours to the gagora " (I. c. p. 171) ; B. nenga, " found in the 

 -same place " {I. c. p. 172) ; B. soua, " found in. the same places " 

 (I. c. p. 172). Cantor, in his ' Malayan Eishes,' only found 



