Descriptions of Fishes from the Coast of Natal. 237 



beyond upper, maxillary reaches to vertical of posterior half of 

 orbits. Interorbital space concave with a small central and 2 lateral 

 ridges ; a quadrangular depression at occiput ; supraorbital ridge with 

 4 spines, with an additional spine close behind them ; occipital and 

 temporal ridges spinate, with 2 and 3 spines respectively ; a spine at 

 each anterior nostril ; the ridge of spines in the suborbital region 

 commences with 2 directed forwards and laterally over the maxilla, 

 followed by 4, and ending in a double spine on preoperculurn which 

 has an additional 2 spines below. 



Dorsal xii 10 ; spines strong, highest in middle ; 4th or 4th and 5th 

 longest, nearly ^ length of head and nearly as high as longest soft 

 rays. Soft rays about ^ higher than the adjacent spine, which is 

 strong and about double the length of the preceding one. Pectorals 

 17, the upper rays branched and f to f length of head, 11 lower rays 

 simple. Ventrals i 5 ; f length of head. Anal iii 5 ; 2nd spine 

 much stronger than 3rd, slightly longer than longest spine of dorsal 

 and about ^ length of head ; anterior soft rays nearly ^ longer than 

 rays of soft dorsal. Caudal rounded, f length of head. Lateral line 

 tubes long, 23-24, lat. tr. ^. 



Colour. The following description is supplied by Mr. Robinson : 

 Fins, head, and body mottled brown and yellowish, stomach below 

 gills and ventrals scarlet, stomach behind ventrals slightly tinged 

 with red, ventrals tinged with red, especially at the base, fringe of 

 gills near belly reddish tinge. 



Three specimens, 177 mm., 179 mm., 168 mm. in length respec- 

 tively, the two largest from Mr. Eomer Eobinson, Natal, the smallest 

 from Durban Museum. 



This species differs from S. natalensis in several particulars, 

 the most obvious of which is the relative length of the last two 

 spines. 



SCORPJ3NA SCEOFA, L. 



Teeth, a villiform band on each jaw, a narrow chevron-shaped 

 band on vorner, and a few on upper end of palatines. Depth of 

 body 3 times in total length excluding caudal, length of head 

 2-| times. Snout 1 times diameter of eye, which is 4 times in 

 length of head ; interorbital width 1^ times diameter of eye. Head 

 scaleless and smooth, width ^ its length ; maxillary reaches to 

 vertical of posterior half of orbits ; orbital tentacles about -| diameter 

 of eye, interorbital space deeply concave ; vertex with a quadrangular 

 depression broader than long, bounded by a spinate ridge on each 

 side proceeding from middle of posterior margin of orbits to 



