62 MOKMYRIME. 



curve ; snout produced, about as long as the postocular part of the head in the adult, 

 shorter in the young, its length once and a half (young) to three times its least depth ; 

 mouth very small, with thick lips, chin slightly swollen, protruding ; teeth small, 

 notched, 5 or 7 in the upper jaw, 8 or 10 in the lower; eye small, its diameter six 

 (young) to twelve times in the length of the head, once and a half (young) to twice 

 and a half in the interocular width. Dorsal fin with 57 to 75 rays *, its base three 

 and three-fourths to four and three-fourths times as long as that of the anal, and as 

 long as or a little (not more than one-fifth) longer than its distance from the end of 

 the snout, gradually decreasing in depth posteriorly. Anal with 18 to 20 (rarely 21) 

 rays, originating at nearly equal distance from the base of the pectoral and that of the 

 anal, its longest rays longer than those of the dorsal. Pectoral fin obtusely pointed, 

 two-thirds to four-fifths the length of the head ; ventral about one-half the length of 

 the head. Caudal fin with pointed lobes, for the greater part covered with scales. 

 Caudal peduncle one-half to three-fifths the length of the head, once and a half to 

 twice as long as deep. 



The figure of Rifaud (pi. cxc.) represents this fish as of a pale lilac-grey above, 

 reddish white beneath, with the end of the snout, the lateral line, the paired fins, and 

 the anal and caudal fins bright red, the dorsal fin greyish, with a red median band. 

 Mr. Loat has noted specimens from the Eosetta branch of the Nile as of a dull greyish 

 brown above, shot with bright gold, especially on the head, and white beneath, 

 slightly shot with gold, pale green, and blue. Mr. Degen describes the iris as of a 

 steel-grey. 



Mr. Loat reports having seen at Beni Souef a specimen 1 metre in length ; but 

 the largest example preserved by him measures only half that length (51 centimetres). 

 At that place, the fishermen informed him that the fish is common only during the 

 high Nile. In a large specimen, Mr. Loat was able to verify the electrical properties 

 on the Mormyrs; although it had been caught some hours, and towed several miles 

 in the water at the stern of a boat, tied by the tail, by placing one hand on the caudal 

 region of the body and the other near the pectoral fin a slight shock could be felt. 

 The fishermen said that when first taken out of the water, large specimens can give 

 quite a powerful shock. At Wady Haifa Mr. Loat caught a large specimen with a 

 hook baited with a worm. 



Capt. Flower has succeeded in keeping this Mormyr in an aquarium, and observed 

 it to have a curious habit of swimming backwards, with the tail leading, as described 

 by Budgett in Gymnarchus niloticus. He has made the following observations on 

 several specimens kept in his house at Giza : — " Naturally they spend the day quietly 

 on the bottom of the tank, but after nightfall become very active, searching 

 energetically for food. When the light from a match or lamp falls on them in the 



Hilgendorf mentions 55 rays in a dry specimen from Lake Victoria. 



