PHARYNGEAL TEETH OF FISHES. 455 



SlLLAGINID^!. 



Sillago sihama, called the " Whiting " at Madras, where it is 

 an esteemed table fish, has twelve long horny gill-rakers on the 

 cerato-hypobranchial of the first arch, the longest nearly equal 

 in length to the depth of the gill-laminse below it. The inside of 

 the first arch and both sides of the other arches have tubercle 

 gill-rakers that fit in alternately but not very closely together ; 

 the filter they form is not a close one. The upper pharyngeal 

 teeth are in a narrow band on the second epibranchial, and in a 

 broad patch formed of two groups on the heads of the third and 

 fourth epibranchials. These teeth are very minute. The lower 

 pharyngeal teeth are in two broad triangular groups of similar 



minute teeth. 



Caproidze. 



Capros aper (the Boar Fish) found occasionally on the English 



coast, has its upper pharyngeal teeth arranged in three distinct 



rows of fine cardiform teeth. They form three parallel rows. 



The lower pharyngeal teeth are villiform. 



OSPHROMENIDZE. 



Osphromenus olfax, the Gourami of the Malay Archipelago, 

 one of the most esteemed fishes for the table, has ten short, 

 triangular-shaped, rather soft gill-rakers on the outside of the 

 cerato-portion of the first branchial arch. Their shape is 

 approximately equilateral, the height of the one nearest the 

 angle of the branchial arch being one half the depth of the 

 gill-laminse below it. The inner side of the first arch, both sides 

 of the other gill-bearing arches, and the outer side of the fifth 

 arch are covered with numerous soft gill-rakers that fit closely 

 into each, other from opposite sides, forming a perfect filter 

 apparatus. The upper pharyngeal teeth are in two groups each 

 side, the upper one crescentic, the lower circular in shape ; 

 they are separated by a broad band of mucous membrane. The 

 teeth show as little black-brown specks, and are cardiform. The 

 lower pharyngeal teeth are in a broad band right across the 

 mouth, are likewise blackish, cardiform, and rather sparsely 

 spread about. The lower pharyngeal bones are separate. 



Osphromenus trichopterus, also from the Malay Archipelago, 

 has a large number of soft, small gill-rakers so close together as 

 not to admit of being accurately counted ; they appear to form a 



