162 Annals of the South African Museum. 



DREPANE PUNCTATA, L. 



Depth of body If times in total length excluding caudal, length of 

 head 3f times. Snout twice as long as diameter of eye, which is less 

 than interorbital width and about 4 times in length of head. Profile 

 almost straight from origin of dorsal to apex of a projecting portion 

 between eyes, in front of which is a deep concavity, from which to 

 end of snout almost straight ; snout very protractile ; cleft of mouth 

 oblique, upper lip thick ; preorbital high, about If diameter of eye ; 

 preoperculum with minute serrations on lower limb and angle ; a 

 group of 8 barbels behind symphysis of lower jaw arranged in 3 rows, 

 4 in first row, 2 in second, and 2 behind. 



Dorsal ix 22 ; spines strong and curved backwards, 1st very 

 minute, 4th longest, f- length of head ; soft portion of fin much 

 higher than spinous, longest rays being nearly If length of longest 

 spine ; the first soft ray not divided. Pectorals long and falciform, 

 the 6th and 7th rays longest, slightly over twice the length of head 

 and reaching almost to base of caudal. Ventrals over f length of 

 head, anterior rays filamentous, spine strong and nearly -f length 

 of 1st ray. Anal iii 19 ; spines short, the 2nd longest ; anterior 

 rays slightly longer than longest dorsal rays, the 1st ray not divided. 

 Caudal (damaged in specimen). Scales cycloid; lateral line 50, high 

 and following curve of dorsal, lat. tr. \:',. 



One specimen, 230 mm. in length, from Mr. Robinson, Natal. 



This specimen differs somewhat from D. punctata, G. and V., 

 chiefly in shape of body ; the distance also between the commence- 

 ment of the dorsal and anal is not equal to the length of body to base 

 of caudal, but only to about over the 14th ray of the anal ; the 

 profile from the dorsal to the snout is different, there being an 

 elevation in front of the eyes about equal to | their diameter. 



SCORPIS LITHOPHILUS, n. Sp. 



(Stone-fish.) 



Depth of body twice in total length excluding caudal, length of 

 head 4 times. Snout equals the diameter of the eye, which is about 

 1^ times in interorbital width and 3 to 3J times in length of head. 

 Snout very obtuse, with a protuberance before upper anterior angle 

 of each orbit ; maxillary reaches to vertical of anterior third of 

 orbits, upper lip thick in the middle. 



Dorsal viii 20 ; soft portion slightly falcate, anterior rays elevated 

 and a little over f length of head ; spines short and strong, received 

 into a sheath. Pectorals 1J in length of head. Ventrals nearly 



