174 Annals of the South African Museum. 



spine ; cleft of mouth oblique, maxillary reaches to anterior 

 margin of orbits ; snout obtuse ; cheek and preopercle covered with 

 scales. 



Dorsal xii 10 ; spines flexible, 4th spine longest, \ length of head ; 

 spinous portion of fin higher than soft. Pectorals If times length 

 of head, 4th and 5th rays being produced, reach to 3rd ray of anal. 

 Ventrals 1- length of head, reach about to vent. Anal iii 9 ; 2nd 

 spine strongest and longest, nearly f length of longest dorsal spine. 

 Caudal forked. Scales cycloid ; lat. 1. 50, lat. tr. T 8 F . 



Colour, pink, a black spot on axil and black streak below eye. 



One specimen, 230 mm. in length, from Mr. Eobinson, Natal ; 

 taken by deep-sea boats. 



CYPHOSUS FUSCUS, Lacep. 



Depth of body 2-|- times in total length excluding caudal, length of 

 head 3f times. Snout ll times diameter of eye, which is If times 

 in interorbital width and nearly 4 times in length of head ; preoper- 

 culum slightly serrated at angle, which is rounded. 



Dorsal xi 12 ; spines low, increasing in length posteriorly, the 4th 

 to the 7th being longest, about -V the depth of the body and about 

 the same length as the last and longest soft rays. Anteriorly the soft 

 portions of both dorsal and anal fins are low r er than the spinous. 

 Pectorals nearly ^ length of head ; ventrals slightly less than 

 pectorals. Anal iii 11 ; 3rd spine longest, nearly the length of the 

 longest dorsal spine. Caudal (damaged in specimen). Scales 

 ctenoid ; lat. 1. 69 scales were counted over the lateral line, the 

 pierced scales were indistinct, lat. tr. oi 12 i) . 



Colour (of preserved specimen), uniform brown. 



One specimen, 146 mm. in length, from Durban Museum. 



FAMILY CIEEHITID^. 



ClERHITICHTHYS MACULATUS, Lacep. 



Teeth, in villiform bands on both jaws with an outer rather 

 enlarged row on the upper and 4 or 5 strong, curved, conical teeth 

 on each side of the lower jaw ; a triangular villiform patch on vomer 

 and band on palatines. Depth of body equals length of head and is 

 3 times in total length excluding caudal. Snout about If times 

 diameter of eye, which is a little greater than interorbital width and 



