194 Annals of the South African Museum. 



to occiput ; a similar ridge ending in two spines at the beginning of 

 the lateral line goes from posterior margin of eye to shoulder ; a 

 ridge proceeds from upper anterior edge of preorbital to angle of 

 preoperculum ending in a strong spine diameter of eye in length 

 with 2 small ones below it ; lower anterior margin of preorbital with 

 3 spines ; a bony ridge round nostrils ; 2 opercular spines ; eyes 

 large and placed almost on upper surface of head. 



Dorsal i, vii 12 ; spines of 1st dorsal moderately strong, the 2nd 

 and 3rd spines about equal and slightly over f length of head ; 

 2nd dorsal about the same height. Pectorals 21 ; ^ length of head. 

 Ventrals yV length of head, reaching to in line with 5th anal ray. 

 Anal 12 ; commences slightly behind the vertical of 1st ray of soft 

 dorsal ; rays about f length of longest spines of dorsal. Caudal 

 truncate, about -J length of head. Scales, 3 rows between lateral 

 line and base of dorsal. Lateral line with 55 strong double spines 

 directed backwards extending along its entire length. 



Colour (of preserved specimen), white ; the fins, especially the 

 1st dorsal, blackish. 



One specimen, 134 mm. in length, procured by the ss. Pieter 

 Faure in shrimp trawl W. of Umhlangu River, Cape Natal 

 lighthouse SW. 1 W. 8 miles. 



PLATYCEPHALUS INSIDIATOB, Forsk. 



Depth of body 8f times in total length excluding caudal, length of 

 head a little more than 3i times. Snout 2|- times diameter of eye, 

 which is 1|- times in interorbital width and a little more than 7^ times 

 in length of head. Head strongly depressed ; the upper surface 

 being of triangular shape, the base being a line drawn from one 

 preopercular spine to its fellow, and the width of base f length of 

 head ; the ridges on the head are scarcely prominent. Lower jaw 

 longer than upper, maxillary reaches to vertical of middle of orbits ; 

 eyes superior, interorbital space slightly concave ; two ridges 

 extending backwards from each eye, the inner dividing at the 

 occiput, the outer ridge ending at the shoulder in two blade-like 

 spines ; a low blunt spine in front of each eye close to posterior 

 nostril ; preorbital with three ridges starting in a stellate form from 

 a common centre ; preoperculum with most of its surface forming 

 a portion of the flattened upper plane of the head, with 2 strong 

 spines at its angle, the lower of which is most developed and f 

 diameter of eye in length ; operculum with 2 inconspicuous spines. 



Dorsal i, vii 14 ; a small stout spine before the spinous dorsal, of 

 which latter the spines are weak, the 1st spine longest and nearly 



