59 



interrupted by the series of dark spots which has suggested 

 the specilic name of the fish. These range from about 20, 

 extending from the head to the tail, to a few at the anterior 

 end of the body and in some cases are absent. The position of 

 each scale is marked on the upper part of the body by a small 

 black dot and, in some cases, there are two or three larger black 

 marks, symmetrically placed on each side at the base of the 

 dorsal fin. 



The ovaries were examined and were found to be not fully 

 developed. In a specimen 40 mm. in length from snout to tip 

 of caudal and weighing 84 grammes, the ovaries weighed 3 

 grammes. The largest ovum was -63 mm. in diameter and 

 was full of ^'ery small oil globules. 



Pappe has compared this fish with the Shad of Europe and 

 gives this apparently as the popular name in South Africa. 

 This name is not now used, but "Sardine." The Shad of Europe 

 — Clupea fmta, the Allis Shad, and C. alosa, the Twaite Shad — 

 differ from C. ocellata in deeper body, fewer number of gill- 

 rakers, larger number of scales and other respects. 



The fish does not seem to differ from C. sagax Jenyns recorded 

 (from a single and somewhat imperfect specimen) by Gilchrist 

 and Thompson from Natal. The type was found at Lima. 

 Alosa fimhriata, Kner and Steindachner, from ChiH, may also 

 be the same species. It is very closely related to the European 

 Pilchard (C. pilchardus) small tinned specimens of which are 

 called •• Sardines." It is sometimes preserved in salt 

 or oil by the native fishers, and both in this and the fresh con- 

 dition has an excellent flavour. It would probably make a 

 valuable article of commerce if cured in sufficient quantities. 

 The difficulty is to make a beginning and this might be 

 arranged by offering a reward for the best preserved samples. 



Clupea durbanensis. Regan. 



Regan, Annals of the Natal Government Museum, Vol. i, 

 Part I, p. 4, 1906. Gilchrist and Thompson, Annals of the 

 South African Museum, Vol. VI, Part 3, p. 269, 1909. 



Body comparatively short, deep and much compressed. 

 Abdominal profile very convex. Depth 2'i to 2f in length, 

 length of head 3f to 3|. Snout equals the diameter of eye, 

 which is 4 to 4J times in length of head, interorbital width 

 3i to 3|. 



Eyes with adipose lids, each co\'ering about 1 of the eye. 

 Lower jaw shut within upper ; maxillary extends to below 

 middle of eye or slightly beyond. Gill-rakers about 200 in 

 the 2 sections of the lower branch of the outer arch, these two 



[C.P. 5-'i3.] F 



