The Blcnniidce of South Africa. 131 



light and dark spots and patches, or prettily variegated with red, 

 bright-blue, and white and yellow markings on body and vertical 

 fins, especially the anal ; sometimes there are bright orange 

 blotches at base of dorsal, or longitudinal irregular brown bands 

 crossed by broad confluent patches of the same shade. The tints 

 are always very pleasingly arranged. 



Fifteen specimens, ranging in length from 82 mm. to 110 mm., 

 from Fish Hoek (Kalk Bay). 



CLINUS CAPENSIS, Giinth. 

 Clinics capensis, Giinth., iii, p. 269. 



Cirrhibarbis capensis, Cuv. and Val., xi, p. 406, pi. 337 ; Bleeker, 

 Vische v. d. Kaap, p. 55. 



Teeth, a single series of sharp-pointed slightly recurved teeth, 

 with a small cluster behind on each side of symphysis, on 

 either jaw ; a small chevron- shaped band on vomer. Depth of 

 body 4|- to 6 times in total length excluding caudal, length of 

 head 3-f to 5 times. Distance from eye to point of snout If to 

 2-|- times diameter of eye, which is 4| to 6 times in length of 

 head ; interorbital width ^ to f diameter of eye ; depth of caudal 

 peduncle 3| to 4| times in length of head. A tentacle at posterior 

 upper angle of each orbit, consisting of a short palmate stalk 

 with from 4 to 12 cirri at the end, a fringed or branched ten- 

 tacle at anterior nostril ; interorbital space convex ; cleft of mouth 

 wide, jaws somewhat pointed and the lower projecting slightly 

 beyond the upper, maxillary reaches to vertical of anterior margin 

 or middle of orbits. Snout long, with superior profile slightly 

 concave, and with a row of 3 plain tentacles or barbels 

 anteriorly ; 8 barbels on chin generally disposed in a circular 

 group of 6, but sometimes in 2 rows of 3 each, with 2 

 barbels a little to the rear and further apart individually ; an 

 open pore at the base of each rear barbel and apparently 2 in 

 the groiip ; a row of pores along inferior border of preoperculum 

 and several pores on head and shoulders. 



Dorsal xxxix-xli 4-7 ; commences in line with posterior 

 margin of preoperculum and extends but is scarcely united to 

 base of caudal ; low anteriorly, the spines frequently having a 

 tuft of 3 or 4 short pinkish filaments at their free extremity. 

 The 1st spine usually about -- length of head, the remainder 

 gradually lengthening, the last spine being from 1^ to twice the 

 height of the 1st ; soft rays a little longer than adjacent spine. 



