36o DISCOVERY REPORTS 



of head ; eyes separated by a low bony ridge, the upper a Httle in advance of lower and 

 very close to edge of head. Posterior nostril a large opening, that of blind side covered 

 by a membranous valve which extends downwards towards the mouth. Maxillary 

 extending to below posterior edge of eye or not quite as far, length about | head ; lower 

 jaw strongly projecting, its length if to if in that of head; a shallow emargination at its 

 anterior end receives a corresponding prominence on the upper jaw ; praemaxillary with 

 an outer series of rather strong teeth, inside which are one or two large canines ; maxillary 

 with a single series of smaller teeth; mandibulary teeth uniserial, somewhat enlarged 

 anteriorly; two or three strong teeth on the vomer. Gill-rakers of moderate length and 

 rather slender, ii or 12 on lower part of anterior arch. Scales rather large, thin, 

 deciduous, more or less ctenoid on both sides of body; 35 to 39 scales in the lateral line. 

 Lateral line well developed on both sides of body, with a strong curve above the 

 pectoral fin; continued to posterior edge of caudal fin; the tubules simple. Dorsal 

 64-72 ; origin immediately behind lower part of posterior nostril on blind side of head 

 and just in front of eye; nearly all the rays branched, not scaled. Anal 44-48; tip of 

 first interhaemal spine not projecting. Pectoral fin of ocular side with 10 rays (7 

 branched), length a little more than ^ that of head; that of blind side shorter. Pelvics 

 with 6 rays; short-based, subequal, that of ocular side situated on median line of body. 

 Caudal with 2/15/2 rays; double-truncate; caudal peduncle if times as deep as long. 

 Greyish or yellowish brown; a black spot at base of last rays of dorsal fin and a 

 similar spot above posterior end of anal ; a row of round black spots on dorsal and 

 anal fins. 



Described from several specimens, 28 to 170 mm. in total length. 



Hob. Mediterranean; West Africa. 



This species, which does not appear to have been adequately described before, has 

 not been previously recorded from the coast of West Africa. 



Genus Arnoglossus, Bleeker 

 Bleeker, 1862, Versl. Akad. Amsterdam, xni, p. 427. 



Arnoglossus imperialis (Rafinesque). 



Bothus imperialis, Rafinesque, 1810, Car. n.gen., p. 23. 



Arnoglossus imperialis, Kyle, 1913, Rep. Danish Ocean. Exped. 1908-10, n, A, i, p. 79, fig. 10. 



St. 272. 30. vii. 27. Off Elephant Bay, Angola; from 13° 11' S, 12° 44' 45" E to 13° 09' 45" S, 

 12° 46" E. Large otter trawl, 73-97 m.: green sand and mud. i specimen, 80 mm. 



St. 274. 4. viii. 27. Off St Paul de Loanda, Angola; from 8° 40' 15" S, 13° 13' 45" E to 

 8° 38' 15" S, 13° 13' 00" E. Large otter trawl, 64-65 m.: grey mud. i specimen, 75 m. 



St. 279. 10. viii. 27. Off Cape Lopez, French Congo; from 8-5 miles N 71° E to 15 miles N 24° E 

 of Cape Lopez Light. Large otter trawl, 58-67 m.: mud and fine sand, i specimen, 90 mm. 



All these specimens are rather small and in poor condition, but appear to belong to 

 this species. The most southerly point from which it has been previously recorded is 

 south of the Azores (' Hirondelle '). 



