328 SILTJRID,E. 



projecting beyond the lower jaw, once and two-thirds (young) to four times as long as 

 the eye, which is five (young) to twelve times in the length of the head and once and 

 two-thirds to three and two-thirds times in the interocular width ; width of mouth twice 

 to twice and a half in the length of the head ; prsemaxillary band of teeth five to seven 

 times as long as broad, a little shorter than and about as broad as the band of 

 vomerine teeth. Nasal barbel one-fifth (adult) to one-half the length of the head ; 

 maxillary barbel once and four-fifths (adult) to three and one-fourth times the length of 

 the head, reaching the ventral fin or not quite so far in the adult, the anal fin or the 

 caudal peduncle in the young; outer mandibular barbel once and two-fifths to twice 

 and one-fourth the length of the inner, and two-thirds to once and one-fourth the 

 length of the head. Gill-rakers rather long, widely set, 9 to 12 on lower part of 

 anterior arch. Dorsal fin with I 8 to 10 rays (usually 9), the last in advance of the 

 vertical of the inner ray of the ventral fin ; spine smooth, moderately strong, not half 

 the length of the head • anterior soft rays more or less produced into filaments in the 

 adult. Adipose dorsal fin four to five times as long as deep, once and two-thirds to 

 twice as long as the rayed dorsal, from which it is narrowly separated. Anal fin with 

 12 to 14 rays, 8 or 9 of which are branched. Pectoral fin about three-fifths to two- 

 thirds the length of the head, its spine moderately strong, feebly serrated on the inner 

 side. Ventral fin equally distant from the eye and the root of the caudal, or a little 

 nearer the latter. Caudal fin deeply forked, the upper lobe produced into a long 

 filament. Caudal peduncle not or but little longer than deep. 



Greyish blue to dark olive above, white beneath, the whole body sometimes shot 

 with gold and green ; some blackish may be present on the dorsal, anal, and ventral 

 fins ; blackish dots sometimes present on the posterior part of the back and on the 

 adipose fin. 



The largest specimen examined measures 600 millimetres. 



The habitat of this species extends from the Nile Delta to Lake Victoria and the 

 Shoa tributaries of the Blue Nile. It has been recorded from the Ganana River and 

 Lake Stephanie by Dr. Vinciguerra, and found in the Omo and Sagan Rivers by 

 Mr. Zaphiro. 



List of specimens examined : — 



5 Lower Nile.— Petherick, 1861. 



5 Nile near Samannud. — Loat, 12-13.7.99. 



4 Cairo. — Riippell, 1834. 



2 Nile near Cairo.— Loat, 14-28.3.99. 



2 Nile near Cairo, bought in Old Cairo Fish Bazar.— Loat, 27.3.99 



1 Biba.— Loat, 14.9.99. 



18 Beni Souef.— Loat, 18.8-2.9.99. 



1 Sanhur.— Loat, 5.9.99. 



1 Assiut.— Loat, 6.12.99. 



