212 



like hump it presents is the sign of old age, This is very pos- 

 sible, as a similar fact is known to exist in Fagrus and others ; 

 but according to this my South African specimen, which weighed 

 one hundred and fifty pounds, was an old adult ; and one caught 

 off Western Port, in the beginning of September, weighing over 

 four hundred, would only be a young one, as there was no indice 

 of this excrescence. This requires some explanation. 

 The colour of the Australian fish was of a brownish red. 



Sub-Class II. DIPNOI. 



"Fishes with the skeleton partly cartilaginous, 

 partly osseous; no occipital condyle. Bulbus arte- 

 riosus with two longitudinal valves ; air-bladder 

 double, lung-like, communicating by a duct and 

 glottis with the haemal side of the sesophagus, with a 

 pulmonary vein. A narrow gill-opening on each 

 side, with a rudimentary gill-cover; some of the 

 branchial arches without gills ; gills free, membra- 

 naceous. Nostrils double on each side. Intestine 

 with a spiral valve. Optic nerves not decussating. 

 Oviducts distinct. Ventral fins abdominal/' 



SIPENOIDEI. 



"Body eel-shaped, covered with cycloid scales 

 Vertical fins a continuous border to the compressed 

 tapering tail. Pectoral and ventral fins subulate. 

 A single maxillary dental plate is opposed to a single 

 mandibular one. Scapular arch attached to the occi- 

 put. Vent not in the median line. No pseudo- 

 branchiae. 



" Fresh- water fishes of tropical Africa, America, 

 and Australia." 



