33 



This fish, which always dwells in localities, where the bottom of the 

 sea is level and sandy, is rather scarce in Table Bay. Its flesh is 

 tender and delicate. 



Raia Maculata. Montag. (Bog ; Spate ; 

 Spotted Bay?) — Body rhomboid, horizontally flat on 

 both sides ; snout narrow, pointed, blunt ; mouth, 

 nostrils, and gills on the under surface of the 'body. 

 Teeth in many rows in both jaws ; sharp, pointed, 

 conical, and curved in the male; paved, broad, and 

 flat in the female. Tail long, thin, three-sided, fur- 

 nished all along its edges with three lines of strong, 

 hooked, but irregular spines, and with two small 

 dorsal fins towards its end. Both surfaces more or 

 less smooth, but snout and upper margin of the large 

 pectoral fins armed with clusters of hooked spines in the 

 male, and with curved tubercular denticles in the female. 

 Male provided with cylindrical cartilaginous appendages 

 (claspers) to each ventral fin. Female larger than the 

 male. Length two and a half feet and more. Colour 

 above pale yellowish-brown, sprinkled with numerous, 

 irregular, faint bluish-grey spots. Under surface some- 

 what rough, greyish-white, tinged with purple. 



A good table fish, and a fore-runner of bad weather. It is caught 

 with the net. 



To the number of edible fishes enumerated here, I feel bound to add 

 one, which I never saw, but which I introduce on the incontestable 

 authority of Dr. A. Smith, who has given the following description of 

 •it in the First Volume of the South African Quarterly Journal (1830) 

 a publication full of interesting and useful information respecting the 

 Cape Colony. 



45. Serranus Cuvierii. A. Smith. {Bock Cod.) 

 Colour of back and sides brownish-yellow with blotches, 

 streaks of irregular bands of dusky greenish-black; lower 

 part of sides and belly reddish-yellow, with slight 

 mixture of brown. Dorsal fins deep dusky -brown, with 

 the extremities of the spinous rays reddish ; ventral fins 



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