276 Proceedings of the Royal Physical Society. 
In the Bichir, however, it is only about 2J times the same 
proportional distance of the depth of the body to the 
length from the snont. In the P. Endlicheri it is ap- 
parently about 2f times the length ; and in the P. senegalus 
it is about the same as the last ; in the P. palmas, however, 
it is nearly 4 times as much, showing a greater approxima- 
tion to the Calabar fish. These measurements of the species 
of Polyjoterus can, however, only be taken as an approxi- 
mation to the truth, as they have been copied from the 
published figures of the fish, which may not be exactly cor- 
rect ; still there can be no doubt of the great difference 
in shape between them and this new Calabar fish. 
Unfortunately, from the imperfect state of these Calabar 
fish, I am unable to carry out the comparison between them 
in other respects. One thing, however, may be specially 
noticed, that these fish appear to want the ventral fins. 
The bodies of these specimens have been torn across, appa- 
rently very near, or close to the anal openings, yet they 
show no traces of anything like ventral fins ; and these fins ; 
seem to be situated considerably in advance of the anus in i 
all the species of Polypterus. j 
From the imperfect state of the fish, however, the appa- 1 
rent absence of the ventral fins may be considered as still i 
not quite determined. I trust, however, to get perfect! 
specimens, so as to be able to settle this point at an early j 
•period, when I shall give a more detailed account of thisj 
very curious fish. j 
General Measurements of the Fish. ' 
Of the two fishes exhibited, one is rather larger than the! 
other. In the larger fish, the head measures about J of anj 
inch from the point of the snout to the extremity of the ; 
operculum, by rather more than J of an inch in breadth! 
across the operculum, and about f of an inch in its greatest 
depth. I 
The entire length of the fish, to the extremity of its im- 
perfect body, measures 9J inches, and 4f inches from the 
point of the snout to insertion of the first dorsal finlet : 
the second finlet is J an inch distant from the first, the 
