Descriptions of Fishes from the Coast of Natal. 79 



to soft dorsal. Caudal truncate, f length of head. Scales small, 

 cycloid. A series of 24 spines along each side of base of dorsal tins. 

 Lat. 1. 65, without armature. 



Colour (of preserved specimen), light or pale reddish brown, with a 

 few small dark specks on body ; pectorals black, with indistinct 

 whitish spots ; ventrals and tip of spinous dorsal blackish ; distal 

 extremity of caudal blackish. 



One specimen, 74 mm. in length, from Mr. Eomer Eobinson, 

 Natal. 



FAMILY SCOMBKID.E. 

 GEN. ECHENEIS, L. 



ECHENEIS NAUCRATES, L. 



Syst. Nat. 10th ed., p. 261, 1758. 



Teeth, mandible pointed and covered superiorly with rows of 

 villiform teeth directed backwards and forming a more or less 

 triangular toothed space in advance of the upper jaw, which latter is 

 pointed; a similar band of villiform teeth in upper jaw; a band on 

 vomer and palatines ; a curved row on tongue. Depth of body Ill- 

 times in total length excluding caudal, breadth of body between 

 pectorals 8|- times; length of head, with disk nearly 3?- times, 

 without disk 5^ times ; width of head nearly i its length. Eyes 

 transversely oval, directed obliquely outwards and downwards, 

 distance apart superiorly 3^ diameters from end of snout, Lnferiorly 

 3f diameters; 9 times in length of head with disk. Lower jaw 

 longer than upper, maxillary reaches to vertical of 3rd lamina 

 of disk. 



Dorsal xxiii 37 ; 1st dorsal forming an elliptical disk rather broader 

 posteriorly than anteriorly, its greatest width nearly f its length, 

 which is nearly 4 times in total length excluding caudal ; 23 trans- 

 verse laminae, each with a toothed posterior margin, the teeth being 

 in 3 rows, a smooth elevation dividing the disk along the central 

 line ; the anterior laminae are directed slightly forwards, the 

 succeeding ones nearly transverse, the posterior directed slightly 

 backwards ; external to the disk is a moderately wide fleshy 

 membrane, which posteriorly extends to the distal half of the 

 pectorals and anteriorly does not quite reach point of snout. The 

 2nd dorsal is situated opposite the anal, commencing midway 



