iNriSTACEMBELUS. 117 



from head about twice length of latter. Snout 3 times as long as eye, 

 ending in an appendage which is more than twice as long as eye ; mouth 

 not extending to below eye; a strong, erectile spine below posterior 

 nostril; two strong prteopercular spines. Dorsal XXIII-XXIV 75; 

 distance between iirst spine and head J length of latter. Anal II 75-80. 

 Caudal obtusely pointed. Pectoral J length of head. Scales very small, 

 :^0-22 between origin of soft dorsal and lateral line. Brownish, spotted 

 and marbled with yellowish ; a series of black spots along the middle of 

 the back and at the base of the anal fin ; soft dorsal spotted with black ; 

 anal edged with black. 



Total length 150 millim. 



Ogowe. — Type, in Paris Museum, examined. 



Fig. 70. 



Mastacembehis cryptacanthus. 

 Type. 2. 



4. MASTACEILBELUS rUYPTACANTHUS. 



Giinth. Proc. Zool. Soc. 18(57, p. 102 ; Bouleng. Tr. Zool. Soc. xv. 1S98, p. 2:5. 



Depth of body 22 times in total length, length of head 10 times. 

 Vent slightly nearer end of snout than caudal, its distance from head 

 3J times length of latter. Snout 3 times as long as eye, ending in an 

 appendage which is 1^ times as long as eye; mouth extending to below 

 anterior border of eye ; no praeorbital spine ; two strong prseopercular 

 spines. Dorsal XXTV 100 ; spines short, last longest, as long as eye ; 

 distance between first spine and head a little longer than latter. 

 Anal II 100. Caudal obtusely pointed. Pectoral \ length of head. 

 Scales very small, 16 between origin of soft dorsal and lateral line. 

 Brown, variegated with darker ; dorsal, anal, and caudal finely dotted 

 with blackish. 



Total length 230 millim. 



Cameroon. 



1. Type. Cameroon. Dr. ,T. A. Smith (P.). 



