NANNOCHAJiAX. 151 



lower part of the anterior arch. Dorsal with III 9-10 rays, originating above the root 

 of the ventrals ; anterior branched rays longest, three-fourths to once the length of the 

 head ; the fin equally distant from the end of the snout and from the root of the 

 caudal fin, or a little nearer the former. Adipose fin about once and a half as distant 

 from the the rayed dorsal as from the caudal. Anal fin with III 7-8 rays, much nearer 

 the root of the caudal than the base of the ventrals. Pectoral fin acutely pointed, 

 shorter than the head, not reaching, or just reaching, the root of the longer ventral. 

 Caudal fin forked, the lobes acutely pointed. Caudal peduncle twice to twice and a 

 half as long as deep. Scales 50-55 % 5 between the lateral line and the root of the 

 ventral. 



Pale olive above, in life, white below ; a silvery lateral streak just below the lateral 

 line; 8 to 12 brown bars across the back, and a series of 6 to 8 round, oval, or square, 

 more or less distinct brown spots along the lateral line ; small vertical bars sometimes 

 present below the lateral line ; a small dark spot on the base of the caudal fin ; three 

 more or less distinct longitudinal dark streaks on the snout; fins white, dorsal 

 sometimes dusky ; iris silvery white. 



Measurements (in millimetres). 



Total length 52 



„ „ (without caudal) 47 



Greatest depth 7-|- 



Length of head 10 



Width o£ head 5 



Length o£ snout 3 



Diameter of eye 3^ 



Tnterorbital width 3 



Longest ray of dorsal 10 



„ „ anal 5J 



Length of pectoral 8 



„ ventral 10 



This little fish was discovered at Thebes by de Joannis in 1835. He says it is not 

 very common and is taken chiefly in winter, that it is held to be delicious eating, and 

 that the Arabs call it " Samak-el-malch." It does not appear to have been found again 

 until Mr. Loat obtained a specimen in the Nile at Beni Souef, at the end of August 

 1899 ; another was found at Assuan, at the end of September 1900, and four hundred 

 and twenty at a regulator near Luxor between Oct. 8 and Nov. 12, 1900. Mr. Loat 

 collected four further specimens in the White Nile, 15 miles north of Kaka, on 

 April 22, 1901, and sixty-five at Gondokoro between Jan. 20 and March 3, 1902. 

 Two specimens were obtained in the Blue Nile, at Ilosaires $ by Capt. S. Flower in 

 June 1905. 



