179 



Öfversigt af Kongl. Vetenskaps-Akademiens Förhandlingar 1895. N:o 3. 



Stockholm. 



Notes ori fishes collected in the Cameroons by Mr. 

 Y. Sjöstedt 



By Einar Lönnberg. 



[Communicated 1895, March 13, by F. A. Smitt.] 



A collectioD of freshwater-tishes brought from the Cameroons 

 by Mr. Y. Sjöstedt contained the following species: 



Periophthalmus koelreuteri PALLAS var. e. P. papilio Bl. &. 

 SCHN. 



This fish was extremely abundant on the muddy banks 

 among the mangroves, when the tide was low. They even skipped 

 up on the roots of the mangroves and often remained immovable 

 ^or a good while in the hottest sunshine. Each leap usually 

 covered a space of from 1 to o cm. in each step. but if frighte- 

 ned they were capable of making longer leaps back into the 

 water. When approaching the banks they swim with their eyes 

 above the surface of the water. They feed on insects crabs etc. 

 and seem to be provided with a rather good appetite. In the 

 stomach of a 10 cm. specimen I found a 2^/2 cm. Blatta. In 

 the intestines of other specimens I found remains of various in- 

 sects and legs and claws of crabs, the bodies of which, very 

 probably, the fishes were not able to swallow. The härd shells 

 of the crab-legs pass undigested through the intestines. Mr. Sjö- 

 stedt also saw the Periophthalmi feed on human excrements. On 

 the other hand they are themselves the main food of birds of the 

 families Alcedinidse, Ardeidse and Scopidse. Mr. Sjöstedt obser- 

 ved this fish on the delta-lands of the rivers Meme, Massake, Rio 

 del Rey, Bekongolo as far as the salt water reached at high tide. 



The largest specimen, caught at Ekundu, measured 13 cm. 



