ARIUS. 389 



teeth ; maxillary barbel longer than head, reaching beyond pectoral 

 spine, outer mandibular barbel reaching latter point, inner mandibular 

 not extending beyond branchiostegal membrane ; occipital process as long 

 as broad at base, tectiform, in contact with a small cordiform inter- 

 neural shield ; occipito-nuchal bones with granular rugosities. Dorsal 

 I 6 ; spine longer than head. Adipose fin about as long as deep, its 

 base considerably shorter than that of rayed dorsal. Anal 16. Pectoral 

 spine | length of head, outer border tubercular, inner border serrated. 

 Ventral reaching anal. Steel-blue above, silvery on the side, pinkish 

 yellow beneath ; dorsal and caudal greyish. 



Total length 210 millim. 



Murundava River, W. Madagascar. — Type in Paris Museum. 



5. ARIUS KIRKII. 

 Giinth. Cat, Fish. v. p. 163 (1864). 



Depth of body about 5 times in total length, length of head 3J times. 

 Occipital region granulated ; occipital process tectiform, broader than 

 long, in contact with a small interneural shield ; eye 4-| times in length 

 of head and 2 times in interocular width ; prsem axillary band of teeth 

 short, about 4 times as long as broad ; palate with two patches of 

 granular teeth on each side, the anterior patch small and rounded, 

 widely separated from its fellow and narrowly from the posterior, which 

 is large, subtriangular, and longer than broad ; maxillary barbel as 

 long as head. Dorsal I 7, spine § length of head, \ery feebly serrated 

 in front and behind. Adipose dorsal small, about 2^ times as distant 

 from rayed dorsal as from caudal. Anal 17 (12 rays branched). 

 Pectoral spine similar to dorsal, but rather more strongly serrated. 



Closely allied to the Indian Ocean A. dussumieri, (J. & V., and im- 

 perfectly known from a half-skin of a small specimen, the palate of 

 which is injured *. 



Zambesi. 

 1. Type, skin. Shupanga. Sir J. Kirk (P.). 



6. ARIUS AFRICANUS. 

 Arius falcarius, var. africana, Giinth. & PJayL Pish. Zanzib. p. 114 (1866). 



Depth of body 4 to 5 times in total length, length of head 3-^ to 

 4 times. Head !§■ to If times as long as broad, the posterior part of its 



* The figure of the teeth, as given by Griinther, is consequently not quite correct. 



