156 Annals of the South African Museum. 



length of head 3^ times. Snout 1^ times diameter of eye, which 

 equals interorbital width and is 3| times in length of head. Least 

 depth of preorbital slightly less than diameter of eye ; jaws equal in 

 front, maxillary reaches to vertical of anterior margin of orbits; 

 preopercle entire ; 7 series of scales between preorbital and margin 

 of preoperculum, no scales on sub-orbital. Dorsal profile from snout 

 to first dorsal slightly convex. 



Dorsal xii 10 ; originating above base of pectorals, 3rd spine 

 longest slender and f length of head, succeeding spines decrease 

 in height to the last, which is f the length of 3rd spine ; soft rays 

 slightly higher than adjacent spines, the last ray slightly elongated. 

 Pectorals l T \y times length of head, reaching to in line with 2nd 

 spine of anal. Ventrals f length of head, first ray a little prolonged 

 and reaching nearly to vent. Anal iii 8 ; spines moderately strong, 

 2nd and 3rd about equal and same height as posterior spines of 

 dorsal ; soft rays nearly half height of 3rd spine of dorsal and 

 decreasing a little in height posteriorly except the last ray, which is 

 slightly elongated. Caudal about length of head, deeply forked. 

 Scales on upper surface of head come to a point between the eyes in 

 a line with vertical of anterior margin. Lat. 1. 58, lat. tr. T 7 T . 



Colour (of preserved specimen), reddish above, silvery below, a 

 dark shade across nape, longitudinal dark red lines on upper two- 

 thirds of body. 



One specimen, 205 mm. in length, from Mr. Eobinson, Natal. 



The fish closely resembles D.filosus, Val., but the nape has no 

 prominent convexity, there are 6 canines in the lower jaw, and 

 scales extend forward between eyes to the vertical of their anterior 

 margin. 



DENTEX NATALENSIS, n. sp. 

 (Blueskin.) 



Canine teeth moderately strong. Depth of body 21 times in total 

 length excluding caudal, length of head 3| times. Snout slightly 

 longer than interorbital width and about 1-J times diameter of eye, 

 which is 4 times in length of head. Least depth of preorbital f to f 

 diameter of eye ; preoperculum with vertical margin slightly emargi- 

 nate ; operculurn with one spine ; scales on interorbital space, and 

 7 or 8 series of scales on the cheek between sub-orbital region and 

 preopercular border ; lower jaw slightly projects, maxillary reaches 

 to vertical of posterior nostril or anterior margin of eye ; profile of 

 head from origin of dorsal to point of snout slightly convex. 



Dorsal xii 10-11 ; originates above base of pectorals, spines 



