OCR Text |
Show 1900.] FISHES FROM THE GAMBIA. 513 16. ALESTES LEUCISCUS Gthr. 17. ClTHARINUS GEOFFROYI Cuv. "Known as • Tara.' Very common, 12 inches in length. The ventral lobe of the caudal fin and the ventral fins bright red, the rest silver grey." CYPRINID^E. 18. L A B E O COUBIE Eiipp. " Known as ' Kulinumma.' The whole fish has a fine rosy tint; it is esteemed as food, and fairly common; the largest seen being about 18 inches in length." 19. LABEO SELTI C. & V. " Known as ' Jotto.' Fairly common at McCarthy's Island. It is good eating. Silver white." SlLURID^E. 20. CLARIAS BUDGETTI, sp. n. Vomerine teeth granular, forming a crescentic band which is as broad as or a little narrower than the praemaxillary band ; the latter about 7 times as long as broad. Depth of body 6| or 7 times in total length, length of head (to extremity of occipital process) 3 or 3^ times. Head \\ or \\ as long as broad, very feebly granulate ; occipital process angular ; frontal fontanelle 4 or 5 times as long as broad, its length about 4 times in length of head; occipital fontanelle small, in advance of occipital process; eye small, 3 or 4 times in length of snout, 5\ to 7 times in interorbital width, which nearly equals width of mouth and is contained 2 3 or 2| in length of head; nasal barbel about | length of head; maxillary barbel as long as or a little shorter than the head (a little longer in the young) ; outer mandibular barbel \\ or 15 as long as inner, which measures \ or § length of head. Gill-rakers closely set, about 40 on first arch. Dorsal 68 to 73, its distauce from the occipital process ^ or \ length of head, its distance from the caudal fin greater than the diameter of the eye. Anal 46 to 50, narrowly separated from the caudal. Pectoral not quite | length of head ; the spine serrated on the outer border, about | length of the fin. Ventrals midway between end of snout and caudal. Caudal \ length of head. Olive above, marbled with black, white beneath; anal with a light edge; a blackish streak from the angle of the mouth to the base of the pectoral. Total length 330 millim. Three specimens. Very nearly allied to C. senegalensis C. & V., with which it may ultimately have to be united. The less rugose head and the narrower frontal fontanelle are the characters which induce me to regard it, provisionally, as distinct. " Called ' Connoconno' by the natives. Often eaten by natives but not much esteemed, Lives chiefly in shallow swamps," |