452 DESCRIPTION OF THE MUSEUM. 



remarked in the p. paradisceus^ Lin. These fish 

 inhabit the Indian seas. We have five species 

 of them in the cabinet. 



The last family is that of fistularia, so named 

 from the cylindrical form of their snout, at the 

 extremity of which is placed the mouth ; it com- 

 prehends two genera : fistularia and centriscus ; 

 each of which forms two sub-genera. The fistu- 

 laria are cylindrical fish, the length of whose 

 head is equal to one third of the body : w r e 

 have two species of them from the seas of hot 

 climates. The aulosloma, Lacep., differs from 

 the fistularia, properly so called, in having the 

 head shorter and no bristles in the tail. We 

 have but one species, the Chinese fistularia [f. chi- 

 nensis, Bl.). 



The centrisci, known by the specific name of 

 sea-snipes, have a tubular snout like the fistularia, 

 but their body is compressed and much shorter. 

 We have two species of them : the one from 

 the Mediterranean, c. scolopax, is of a silvery 

 hue; the other which belong to the sub-genus 

 amphisile, Klein, was sent from the coast of Co- 

 romandel by M. Leschenault. 



