606 FISHES. 



by side, but placed in the longitudinal axis of the body, indi- 

 cate likewise that this genus is more adapted for still waters 

 of the plains than for the currents of hill-streams. 



Other genera from tropical India are Lepidocephalichiliys, 

 Acanthopsis, Oreonectes (hills near Hong-Kong), Paramisgur- 

 nus (Yan-tse-Kiang), LepidocepJiahis, AcantJiophthalmus, and 

 Apua. 



Fourth Family — Kneeiid^. 



Body scaly, head naked. Margin of the topper jaw formed 

 hy the intermaxiUaries. Dorsal and anal fins short, the former 

 belonging to the abdominal portion of the vertebral column. 

 Teeth none, either in the mouth or pharynx. Barbels none. 

 Stomach siphonal ; no pyloric appendages. Pseudobranchim 

 none. Branchiostegals three; air-bladder long, not divided. 

 Ovaries closed. 



Small loach-like fishes from fresh waters of tropical . 

 Africa ; two species only, Kneria angolensis and K. spekii, are 

 known. 



Fifth Family — CHARACiNiDiE. 



Body covered ivith scales, head naked ; barbels none. Mar- 

 gin of the upper jaw formed by the intermaxiUaries in the 

 middle and by the maxillaries laterally. Generally a small 

 adipose fin behind the dorsal. Pyloric appendages more or 

 less numerous ; air - bladder transversely divided into two 

 portions, ami communicating laith the organ of hearing by 

 means of the auditory ossicles. Pseudobranchice none. 



The fishes of this family are confined to the fresh waters 

 of Africa, and especially of tropical America, where they 

 replace the Oyprinoids, with which family, hoM^ever, they 

 have but little in common as far as their structural charac- 

 teristics are concerned. Their co- existence in Africa with 



