Notice of a New Ganoid Fish. 



211 



others being about f of an inch apart. The fins are seven 

 in number in this imperfect specimen. 



The breadth of the fish, a little in front of commencement 

 of the dorsal finlets, measures \ an inch, by about the same 

 in depth. 



The smaller fish is 8J- inches in length, the body being 

 rather more perfect than the other ; it measures inches 

 from point of snout to the first dorsal finlet, to the 

 broken extremity of the fish, the finlets being eight in 

 number. 



The greatest breadth of the body is f of an inch, a little 

 behind the head, and about the same in depth ; it tapers 

 very slightly towards the first dorsal fin, and becomes more 

 compressed laterally, towards its caudal extremity. At the 

 fourth or fifth dorsal finlet it measures \ of an inch in breadth 

 by f of an inch in depth. 



The head measures laterally, to the extremity of the oper- 

 cular flap, | of an inch. The greatest breadth of the head 

 is f and T \ of an inch, and is at the junction of the opercu- 

 lum and the preoperculum ; and the breadth between the 

 e}^es is i of an inch. 



From the various differences between this new fish and 

 the species of the Genus Polypterus, — all of which seem to 

 bear a close resemblance to each other in the general form 

 of their comparatively short and fish-like body, and in the 

 presence of ventral fins, forming thus a very natural group 

 or genus ; while the new fish, with its very much elongated 

 and more cylindrical form of body, and apparently the entire 

 absence of ventral fins, suggested at least the probability, of 

 the existence, nearer the Equator, of another allied but 

 distinct group of these African fish, — I would, therefore, 

 place this fish provisionally in a new genus, which, from its 

 general reptile or serpent-like aspect and form, I would de- 

 signate Erpetoichtfiys* (e^tsM the Keptile or Serpent 



* Since this paper was read, I have learned that this designation, or a 

 closely allied one, has been already used in Ichthyology, and accordingly, 

 on the recommendation of Dr Giinther, of the British Museum, I have changed 

 the name of the genus to Calamoichthys (xu.x<x.pos, a reed, and a fish), 



which will still hear a relation to the cylindrical character of the fish. — (For a 



