244 Mr. J. Y. Johnson on rare and little-known 



ventral fins, reaching back to the commencement of the anal 

 fin. The ventral fins are inserted under the posterior angle of 

 the roots of the pectoral fins, and fold back into an abdominal 

 groove. They reach about halfway from their roots to the vent, 

 which is placed a little before the middle of the total length. 

 The spine is less than half the length of the next ray ; the se- 

 cond branched ray is the longest. The anal fin commences close 

 to the vent, under the fourth branched ray of the dorsal, the 

 shape of which it copies, and opposite to the end of which it 

 terminates. It is higher anteriorly, and it is angular and some- 

 what produced behind. Its three spines are short, and tlie base 

 of the fin is scaly. There are no finlets behind either the dorsal 

 or anal fins. The tail is longer than high, and its fin is deeply 

 furcate, without scales. 



The scales of the unarmed lateral line are about 60; and 

 there are 20 or 21 scales in the height of the body, of which 

 only four are above the lateral line. 



Two specimens of this rare fish have been obtained, both 

 taken in the month of January. There was only a difference of 

 I inch between their respective lengths. The larger was an 

 adult female containing ova. 



Filippi and Verany have described the species, from Medi- 

 terranean examples, under the name of Navarchus sulcatus ; but 

 they have certainly committed a mistake in stating that there is 

 a furrow on the body above the lateral line, and another below 

 it. That line, as already described, is high up, and has two 

 furrows below it, the upper one of which has obviously been 

 taken by them for the lateral line. This explanation renders it 

 still more probable that there is no specific distinction between 

 Cuhiceps gracilis and C. capensis, Smith, as Dr. Giinther has 

 suggested in his Catalogue. 



The following are the dimensions of the principal parts of the 

 larger example : — 



iaches. 



Total length 71 



Length to base of caudal (S\ 



Height ill the pectoral region 1|- 



Thickness pj 



Head l|- 



Eye A 



Mouth, width at the angle of the jaws -^ 



Dorsal, length of base S-j- 



„ „ spinous portion IYtj 



distance from snout 2^ 



length of 4th spine 



8 

 1 



height of anterior part of soft portion 

 Pectorals, length 21 



