232 Annals of the South African Museum. 



which is an oblique slit in front of eye ; preorbital not notched by 

 maxillary bone, least depth about equals diameter of eye ; 10 series 

 of scales between preorbital and preopercular limb, which is covered 

 with scales and has a rounded angle with minute scarcely percep- 

 tible serrations. 



Dorsal xi 11 ; spines moderately strong ; 4th spine longest and 

 about -J- length of head, succeeding spines decreasing to the last, 

 which is about ' height of 4th and a little lower than adjacent soft 

 rays ; soft portion of fin increases in length posteriorly to about T 7 ^ 

 height of longest spine. Pectorals l-j-%- length of head, reaching to 

 anus. Ventrals nearly f length of head. Anal iii 10, spines mode- 

 rately strong ; 2nd spine longer than 3rd, about same height as soft 

 rays and equal to 2nd spine of dorsal ; soft portion of fin similar to 

 soft dorsal and about same height. Caudal forked, lobes covered 

 with scales for over half their length. Scales on body ctenoid, 

 moderately large ; small on cheeks, opercles, and top of head where 

 they reach to above the vertical of anterior third of eyes but with a 

 naked space round the orbits ; base of soft dorsal and anal enclosed 

 in a scaly sheath. Suprascapulary arch well marked. Lat. 1. 87, lat. 



1 



._,,,. 



Colour (of preserved specimen), grey above, light-coloured below; 

 dorsal and anal blackish. 



One specimen, 330 mm. in length, from the Fishrnarket, Durban. 



PAGELLUS APFINIS, Blgr. 



Depth of body equals length of head and is about 3 times in total 

 length excluding caudal. Eye nearer end of snout than extremity 

 of gill-cover, its diameter equals interorbital width and is 1^ times in 

 length of snout and 3 times in length of head. Maxillary reaches 

 to vertical of anterior margin or third of eye ; preorbital about as 

 deep as long, maxillary edge slightly notched ; 6 series of scales 

 between preorbital and angle of preoperculum ; posterior nostril 

 ovate. 



Dorsal xii 10 ; spines flexible and anterior ones filamentous ; 3rd 

 spine longest, about ^ length of head and equals its distance from 

 lateral line ; soft rays about same height as longest spine, last ray 

 slightly elongated. Pectorals about length of head, reaching to 

 below origin of soft dorsal. Ventrals nearly ^ length of head. 

 Anal iii 10 ; 2nd and 3rd spines about equal and height of longest 

 spine of dorsal ; soft portion of fin similar to and about same height 



