1903.] NATUKAL SCIENCES OF PHILADELPHIA. 161 



DESCRIPTIONS OF SEVERAL FISHES FROM ZANZIBAR ISLAND, TWO OF 

 WHICH ARE NEW. 



BY HENRY W. FOAVLER. 



A small collection of fishes has recently been forwardetl to the 

 Academy from Zanzibar Island, East Africa, by Sir Charles Eliot. 

 At present all of the examples are contained in the collections of the 

 Academy of Natural Sciences of Philadelphia. 



PLATACID^. 

 1. Platax vespertilio (Bloch). 



17SS. Chcctodon vef^pcrtilio Bloch, Ichtliyologie, II, pt. 6, p. 49, Plate 199, 

 fig. 2; Je Fai trouve parmi les poissons qu'on m'a envoyes du Japon. 



1866. Platax vespertilio Playfair, Fishes of Zanzibar, p. 64; Aden; Zanzibar 

 [No descr.] 



Head 2f ; depth equal to length; D. VI, 35; A. Ill, 26; P. 18; V. I, 5; 

 scales, in the lateral line to the base of the caudal 66, between the 

 origin of the soft dorsal and the upper curve of the lateral line about 

 24, and between the latter and the origin of the soft anal 38; width of 

 head 1| in its length; snout 2J; eye 3^; maxillary 3^; interorbital 

 space 2f ; pectoral H; least depth of caudal peduncle 2^; ventral If 

 in body. 



Body very deep, greatly compressed, more or less trenchant ab()\-o 

 and below, and the greatest depth about midway in the length of 

 body and between the origins of the soft dorsal and anal fins. Cau- 

 dal peduncle short, deep and strongly compressed. 



Head short, very deep, greatly compressed, and its greatest width 

 at the preopercle considerably wider than any other portion of the bod}-. 

 The snout is rather long, steep, blunt and rounded above. Eye small. 

 high in the head, and a little anterior. ]\louth small. Inroad and 

 nearly horizontal when closed. Maxillaiy small, obliquely vertical, 

 and hardly reaching beyond the anterior nostril. Teeth small, sharp- 

 pointed, and in rather narrow bands in the jaws. A'omer and palatines 

 smooth. Mandible rather broad and slightly protruding, so that the 

 anterior profile of the body forms a bliuit angle at this point. Tongue 

 not distinct from the floor of the mouth. Anterior nostrils circular, 

 with the space between less than the space between the posterior pair, 

 11 



