TJie Blenniidce, of South Africa. 139 



sub-conical, with the lower jaw somewhat prominent. Palatine teeth 

 none. The width of the interorbital space is less than the diameter 

 of the eye ; a small simple tentacle above the orbit. Scales exceed- 

 ingly small. A short detached dorsal fin on the nape of the neck ; 

 the spines by which it is formed are slender and rather longer than 

 those of the remaining fin ; the latter not emarginate, united 

 with the base of the caudal. Brown or yellowish, more or less 

 spotted and marbled with darker ; generally a series of whitish or 

 yellowish spots along the sides. 



Mediterranean. Cape of Good Hope. Coast of Australia. 



European and African specimens, with 19 or 20 soft rays in the 

 anal fin. 



Australian specimens, with 23 soft rays in the anal fin. 



The above description and synonymy are taken from Gunther's 

 Catalogue of Pishes, vol. iii, p. 273. 



CRISTICEPS MENTALIS, n. sp. 



Teeth, a row of strong conical detached teeth on each jaw, with a 

 band of smaller ones behind on anterior portion of upper jaw and a 

 small patch at symphysis of lower jaw; a curved band on vomer. 

 Depth of body about equals length of head, which is 4 T 3 ^ times in 

 total length excluding caudal. Distance from eye to point of snout 

 If times diameter of eye, which is 1^- times interorbital width and 

 5f times in length of head. No orbital tentacles ; a fairly well- 

 developed tentacle on anterior nostril ; profile of head low and 

 descending gradually to point of snout, which is somewhat acute ; 

 lower jaw slightly longer than upper, and the lower lip projects as a 

 triangular flap on chin about f the diameter of the eye in length ; 

 cleft of mouth slightly oblique, maxillary reaches to vertical of 

 anterior third of orbits ; eyes prominent. 



Dorsal in xxxiii 7 ; emarginate anterior fin formed of three 

 spines situated on the nape, commencing in line with posterior 

 margin of preoperculum ; the distance between the base of the 3rd 

 of these spines and the 1st spine of the 2nd dorsal is about equal to 

 the distance between the bases of the 1st and 3rd spine of anterior 

 fin, and the membrane of the 3rd spine does not quite reach the base 

 of the 1st spine of the 2nd dorsal. In the crest so formed the first 

 2 spines are subequal, about \- the length of the head, and with a 

 short filament ; the 3rd is shorter, being about ^ length of head. 

 The 2nd dorsal commences in line with base of pectorals and does 

 not reach to caudal ; spines weak, anteriorly about i height of 



