Descriptions of Fishes from the Coast of Natal. 157 



moderately strong, 4th spine longest and about f length of head, 

 12th spine about ^ the length of 4th and not quite as high as soft 

 rays. Pectorals If times length of head, reaching to in line with 

 2nd spine of anal. Ventrals length of head, reach to vent. Anal 

 iii 8-9 ; spines moderately strong, the 1st about f height of 2nd, 

 which is the longest, being nearly the height of the soft rays and 

 -| the height of longest spine of dorsal. Caudal deeply forked, 

 nearly as long as pectorals. Scales feebly denticulated ; lat. 1. 

 54-58, lat. tr. ^. 



Colour (of preserved specimens), grey, darker above ; head with a 

 reddish tinge ; dorsal, anal, and ventrals blackish. Longitudinal 

 rows of small black spots on body ; these rows are, above the lateral 

 line, more or less oblique anteriorly and longitudinal posteriorly, 

 below the lateral line in 3 rows, and also about 8 rows of yellow 

 lines occurring ventrally. 



Colour, when alive, a bluish pink. 



Two specimens, 288 mm., 290 mm. in length respectively, from 

 Mr. Eobinson, Natal. 



They differ from D. argyrozona, Cuv. and Val., and D. lineo- 

 putictatus, Blgr., in the shorter head, greater length of fins, and 

 smaller eye. 



DENTEX PB.EORBITALIS, Giinth. 

 (Scotchman.) 



Canines fairly strong. Depth of body 2-f to 2|- times in total 

 length excluding caudal, length of head 3 to 3^ times. Snout about 

 2^ times diameter of eye, which is slightly greater than the inter- 

 orbital width and 4f to 4f times in length of head. Nape of neck 

 gibbose ; maxillary reaches to about vertical of anterior margin of 

 eye ; preorbital quadrangular, higher than wide, scaleless and about 

 If times diameter of eye in height ; 11 series of scales between the 

 preorbital and the margin of the preoperculum ; scales on inter- 

 orbital space ; preoperculum covered with scales. 



Dorsal xii 10 ; spines moderately strong, 4th spine longest and 

 about -?- length of head. Pectorals nearly as long as the head and 

 reach to origin of anal. Yentrals about -| length of head, do not 

 reach to vent. Anal iii 8 ; 2nd spine strongest and about same 

 length as or longer than 3rd. Caudal forked, about i length of head. 

 Scales above the lateral line much smaller than those below ; lat. 

 1. 60, lat. tr. T V 



Colour (of preserved specimens), numerous small dark dots above 



