FISHES AND FISHING. 337 



XIPHIURID.E. 



40. XIPHITJRUS CAPENSIS. A. Smith. (Koningklip- 

 visch : King's Rock Fish.) Body almost cylindrical, 

 moderately robust. Head, large ; two rows of larger 

 teeth in the upper, one of smaller ones in the lower, 

 jaw ; vomer, armed with teeth of the same description. 

 Two barbels pending from the under surface of the 

 lower mandible. Pectoral fins of an oval form ; dor 

 sal, caudal, and anal fins, united. Tail, narrow, 

 tapering, compressed, sword- shaped. Ventral fins, 

 none. Scales, very small (A. Smith). Has a large, 

 and very firm air bladder, flesh coloured, and clouded 

 by a variety and intermixture of hues, difficult to de 

 scribe. Lower surface, belly, and point of tail, tinted 

 with pale purple. 



This fish, in some respects, seems closely allied to 

 the family of the GadidaB, while on the other hand 

 it somewhat resembles the Mura3nida3. Although its 

 habitat is deep water, and not (as its name implies) 

 amongst cliffs and rocks, yet it justly deserves the title 

 of King's Fish, being, without exception, the most 

 desirable fish obtainable in our bays. It is rather 

 scarce, is an expert swimmer, appears on the coast as 

 a harbinger of rough, stormy weather during winter ; 

 and commonly sells at very remunerating prices. , 



Dr. Andrew Smith, the intelligent South African 

 traveller, gave the first description of this fish in his 



z 



