444 Annals of the South African Museum. 



FAMILY OPHICHTHYIDAE. 



OPHICHTHYS TRISERIALIS, n. sp. 



Length of head 2^ in distance from gill-slits to vent. Tail three- 

 quarters as long again as body. Snout conical, somewhat depressed. 

 Cleft of mouth moderate, not extending beyond hind margin of eye. 

 Lips not fringed. Eye 2 in snout, subequal to interorbital width. 

 Teeth pointed, subequal, but largest in front of upper jaw, triserial 

 in both jaws and on vomer. Dorsal commencing just behind end of 

 pectoral, which is 4 in length of head. 300 mm. Uniform brownish, 

 vertical fins with dark margins posteriorly. 



Algoa Bay, 55 fathoms, s.s. Pieter Faure. 



This specimen bears a very close resemblance to unicolor which 

 was also described from Algoa Bay. The difference in the teeth is 

 indeed the only important distinguishing character, but in this respect 

 the specimen is clearly distinct from the type of unicolor which I have 

 examined in the British Museum. 



SPHAGEBRANCHUS ACUTICEPS, n. sp. 



Body cylindrical. Depth of body 4J in length of head. Length 

 of head a little over 3 in distance from gill-slits to vent. Tail only a 

 very little longer than rest of body. Cleft of mouth 3 in length of 

 head. Snout pointed, projecting, 4|-5 in head. Eye about in middle 

 of cleft of mouth, well developed but small, about 4 in snout, subequal 

 in length to interorbital width. Gill-slits longitudinal, parallel, 

 subequal in length to snout. Branchiostegal membranes rather 

 swollen. Teeth rather large, pointed, lancet-shaped, recurved, 

 uniserial, 15 in upper jaw, 12 on vomer and in lower jaw, 3 in a triangle 

 in front of upper jaw, the vomerine series extending back beyond 

 tip of tongue, which is free. 188 mm. Brown, eyes black. 



Off Tugela River mouth, Natal, 37 fathoms, s.s. Pieter Faure. 



Very like vulturis, Weber & Beauf, 1916, but differing in the 

 proportions. 



