180 Annuls of tlie South African M/tscum. 



of head, and is 3f times in total length, excluding caudal. Snout 

 nearly equals diameter of eye, which is 1| in interorbital width and 

 4^ times in length of head. Interorbital space convex ; eye covered 

 with an adipose membrane ; height of head equals f its length, width 

 about | its length ; snout obtuse, projecting much beyond mouth ; 

 cleft of mouth wide, upper jaw overlaps lower, maxillary extends 

 about ^ diameter of eye beyond the posterior margin of the orbit 

 and is about i length of head ; posterior margin of preoperculum 

 descends obliquely backwards in a slight curve and is serrated, the 

 angle produced into a rounded lobe. 



Dorsal viii, i 13 ; origin of 1st dorsal about in line \vith 7th scale 

 of lateral line ; 1st spine minute, 3rd longest, and |- length of head, 

 4th longer than 2nd, and those following rapidly decrease in height ; a 

 series of small scales ascend behind each spine, and the length of the 

 base of the fin equals -\ its height. The distance between the two 

 dorsal fins is greater than the base of the 2nd, which is entirely covered 

 with scales and has its upper margin crescentic ; the soft dorsal is 

 rather higher anteriorly than the first dorsal and than the anal, and 

 the space between it and the caudal is less than J the total length of the 

 body excluding caudal. Pectorals 16 + v. ; rays unbranched, f length 

 of head, and base of fin covered with small scales ; the uppermost of 

 the 5 appendages is the longest, nearly the length of the head and 

 almost reaching to the tips of the ventrals. The root of the 

 ventrals is in the vertical of llth scale of lateral line, their length 

 is f that of the head, and the spine is about i length of adjacent ray. 

 Anal ii 11 ; origin falls in vertical of 6th soft ray of dorsal; only one 

 spine is visible, which is a little more than -- the length of adjacent 

 ray ; the fin is similar to the soft dorsal. Caudal deeply forked, 

 with pointed lobes slightly filamentous, covered with scales and li 

 times length of head ; the least depth of free portion of peduncle 

 equals -| length of head. Scales ciliated on posterior margin and 

 free portion covered with minute spines. Lat. 1. 65, almost straight, 

 and extends slightly over lower lobe of caudal, where it bends 

 obliquely downwards. Lat. tr. -J^. 



Colour (of preserved specimen), yellowish, with brown longi- 

 tudinal lines running along body more distinct above lateral line 

 than below; fins more or less dotted with black specks. 



One specimen, 199 mm. in length, from Natal. 



