to 1 02 rays, the latter with 67 to 75. Pectorals absent. 

 Caudal rounded. Scales small, ctenoid on both sides ; 

 lateral line single, extending straight from the head to the 

 caudal, and piercing 83 to 85 scales. Pale greyish, with 

 dark specks and three longitudinal series of small black 

 spots. Several young specimens, obtained in False Bay by 

 Dr. Gilchrist. 



4. SYNAPTURA MICROLEPIS. 



Sxiiaptura //iicrolcpis, Bleek. Versl. Akad. Vet. Amsterd. 

 XV. 1863. p. 456. 



Eyes on the right side, upper in advance of lower. Snout 

 hooked; mouth unsymmetrical, extending to below centre 

 of lower eye; teeth minute, on the blind side only; snout 

 with minute fringes; lips not fringed. Gill-openings moder- 

 ately wide. Depth of body 3^ to 3f times in total length, 

 length of head 5 to 6 times. Diameter of eyes y^ times in 

 length of head, j^ interocular width; length of mouth 4 

 times in length of head. Dorsal and anal fins confluent with 

 the rounded caudal; dorsal with 90 to 99, anal with 75 to 78 

 rays, longest about }, length of head. Right pectoral fin 

 ^- to f length of head, left | to f. Scales very small, 

 ctenoid on both sides; lateral line single, straight, extending 

 over 170 to 180 scales. Coloured side pale brown, speckled 

 with dark brown; fins closely spotted and speckled with 

 blackish. 



Total length 295 millemetres. 



The type specimen, from Cape of Good Hope, is in the 

 Leyden Museum. I have been favoured by Dr. Gilchrist with 

 a specimen from the West Coast (near Dassen Island). 



5. SYNAPTURA PECTORALIS. 



Syjiapfiira pectoral is, Kaup, Arch. f. Nat. 1858, p. 96. 

 Eyes on the right side, upper slightly in advance of the 

 lower. Snout hooked; mouth unsymmetrical, extending to 

 below, centre of lower eye; teeth minute, on the blind side 

 only; snout with minute fringes; lips not fringed. Gill-open- 

 ings moderately wide. Depth of body 3^^- to 3^ times in total 

 length. Length of head 5f to 7 times. Diameter of eyes 6 to 

 9 times in length of head, nearly equal to interocular width; 

 length of mouth 3 to 33 times in length of head. Dorsal 

 and anal fins confluent with the ol)tusely pointed caudal; 

 dorsal with 95 to no, anal with 80 to 95 rays, longest not 

 more than half length of head. Right pectoral pointed at the 

 end, \\ to twice as long as the head; left pectoral very 



