Descriptions of Fishes from tlie Coast of Natal. 85 



the whole body, head, maxillary, cheeks, and opercles ; 2 lateral 

 lines marked by rows of pores and both provided with 24 vertical 

 branches, also marked by a row of pores and passing over the 

 back. 



Colour (of preserved specimens), light brown, darker above than 

 below ; a dark patch on base of caudal. 



Three specimens, 76 mm. 70 mm. 64 mm. in length respectively, 

 procured by the Cape Government trawler P. Faure (s.) off the Natal 

 coast; the two larger in 46 fms., Tugela Eiver mouth N. by W. 

 18 miles, the smallest in 54 fms., Cape Natal W. by N. 6| miles. 



FAMILY CENTRISCIDAE. 



GEN. CENTEISCUS, L. 



CENTEISCUS HUMEROSUS, Eich. 



Voy. Erebus and Terror, Fishes, p. 56, pi. 34, figs. 5 and 6, 1846. 

 (Trumpet-fish, Bellows-fish.) 



Height of the body contained 1^ times in the distance of the 

 operculum from the base of the caudal fin, the length of the head is 

 slightly less than its distance from the caudal. Head elevated 

 posteriorly, compressed into a ridge above and produced anteriorly 

 into a long compressed tube terminating in a small mouth ; cleft of 

 mouth oblique, extremity of lower jaw prominent, maxillary broad 

 and triangular. Eye large, equals length of postocular part of head, 

 the skin which covers the iris is provided with small ctenoid scales 

 except on anterior portion ; margin of orbit smooth ; interorbital 

 space smooth, slightly convex, nearly f diameter of eye in width ; 

 nostrils close together, situated one before the other at a short 

 distance from the orbit; preoperculum with its posterior margin 

 descending obliquely forward, partly confluent with orbit, and 

 indistinctly denticulated or roughened, the angle strongly produced 

 backwards. The scales advance very far on the rostral tube. The 

 body is strongly compressed and much elevated, its greatest depth is 

 above the ventrals ; the upper profile makes a slight bulge on the 

 nape, behind which is a patch of bristles, and then ascends gradually 

 to dorsal fin, descending abruptly from 2nd spine to the free portion 

 of the tail ; lower profile of body semicircular between throat and end 

 of anal fin. 



