HYPEROPISUS. 73 



4 Jebelain, White Nile.— Loat, 11.1.01. 



5 Fashoda, White Nile.— Loat, 15.3.01-19.3.01. 

 18 Tewfikyeh, W T hite Nile.— Loat, 22.1.01-11.3.01. 



1 Kerro, Bahr-el-Gebel.— Loat, 26.2.01. 



1 Gondokoro, Bahr-el-Gebel.— Loat, 27.1.02. 



1 W r adelai, Bahr-el-Gebel.— Budget t, 7.9.02. 



1 R. Chari-wasu at Maidugari. — Capt. Gosling, 1904. 



3 St. Louis, Senegal.— Delhez, 1899. 



3 Kaedi, Senegal.— Delhez, 1899. 



4 Gambia.— Budgett, 1898. 



1 Lokoja, N. Nigeria.— Budgett, 1903. 



1 Jebba, Upp. Niger.— Capt. G. F. Abadie, 1899. 



1 Abo, S. Nigeria. — Dr. Ansorge, 1902, 



1 Nigeria. (Type of H. occidentalism) 



Little is known of the habits of this fish. Mr. Loat has noted that it is very partial 

 to dourra or millet, and that at the time of his stay at Wad Medine numbers congre- 

 gated round the boats that were discharging grain. The flesh is, like that of other 

 Mormyrs, much esteemed in Senegambia ; but this does not appear to be the case in 

 Egypt at present, although Sonnini, the first describer of this species, at the close of 

 the 18th century, found it firm and delicate. 



When in the Gambia, the late Mr. Budgett * found nests which he was inclined to 

 think were those of Hyperopisus behe. The eggs, oval, about 1J millim. in length, 

 yellowish and semitransparent, were laid in shallow depressions of the swamp bottom, 

 and attached to the rootlets of the grasses laid bare by the parent in scooping out the 

 depression for the reception of the eggs. The larva on hatching hangs from the 

 rootlets, suspended by threads of viscid mucus, until the yolk-sac is absorbed. In one 

 nest there are many thousands of these larvae. 



This species appears to have a good many native names : Kaschoue, according to 

 Sonnini ; Behbeyt, according to Geoffroy ; Sava, according to Rifaud. Mr. Loat has 

 noted the following: — " Galmier" (*^>), at Cairo; " um'inay'yar "(&£>)), at Luxor; 

 " sow' dear" [Zj3y»\ at Omdurman. 



* Tr. Zool. Soc. xvi. 1901, p. 130, figs. 



