addi;ni>a i:r (.ukkjgkxda. f)t)i} 



Page 373. Add a new species : — 



2. Ctenopoma microlepidotum. 



D.||. A. ^. L. lat. 34. L. tiausv. 0/11. 



Operculum with a semicircular notch postei-iorly ; three or four 

 s])inous teeth at each of the two corners of the notch ; edge of the 

 suboperculum very indistinctly denticulated. A brown streak from 

 the eye to the angle of the praiopcrculum. 



Fresh waters of the Cape of Good Hope. 



a. Six inches and a half long. Presented by the Officers of the 

 Army Medical Department at Fort Pitt. 



Description. — This splendid species will be readily distinguished 

 by its small scales on the back, and by the armature of the opercles, 

 which is much less developed than in Ct. muUispine. The height of 

 the body is two-sevenths of the total length (the caudal fin not in- 

 cluded), the length of the head one-third. The interorbital space is 

 flat, its width being equal to the extent of the snout, or to one-fourth 

 of the length of the head ; the diameter of the eye is somewhat less. 

 Snout obtusely conical, with the lower jaw prominent, and with the 

 maxillary not extending to below the middle of the eye. Pnijoper- 

 cular margin entire, with the angle rounded ; the operculum termi- 

 nates in two processes, each of which is pro\-ided with three or four 

 spinous teeth, and which leave a semicircular notch between them ; 

 the notch is filled by a membrane of blackish colour ; the serrature 

 of the suboperculum is very indistinct ; iuteroperculuni smooth. Six 

 branchiostegals ; the gill-membranes are united, not attached to the 

 isthmus ; the portion covering the isthmus is scaly. The head is 

 covered with scales, except the snout : the scales on its upper surface 

 are irreg-ular, those on the cheek rather snudl, there being about eight 

 series between the orbit and the pra?opercular margin ; four trans- 

 verse series of scales on the operculum, one along the sub- and inter- 

 operculum. Large pores indicate the course of the muciferous 

 channels on the head. 



The teeth in the jaws form a vUlitbrm band, those of the outer 

 series being enlarged ; bands of vomerine and palatine teeth narrow. 



The spinous portions of the vertical fins are low, whilst the middle 

 of the soft dorsal and anal fins is prolonged into a filament, extending 

 beyond the base of the caudal. The caudal fin is subtruiicated. its 

 length being contained four times and two-thirds in the total ; each 

 caudal ray is produced l)eyond the connecting membrane into a short 

 filament. Pectoral rounded, much longer than the ventral, which is 

 composed of one spine and five rays. 



Scales ciliated ; the lateral line is interrupted above the origin of 

 the anal, its two portions being nearly equal in length. 



The superbranchial organ is a large round cavity on each side of 

 the occipital region, closed inferiorly by a membrane ; a broad, simple, 

 thin bony lamella occupies the concavity of the upper portion of the 

 first branchial arch. Four gills ; a slit behind the fourth, 



One or two other specimens ot this fish are preserved in tlie Mu- 



