17 



Caudal fin forked, scales large, almost quadrangular ; 

 seven longitudinal stripes, covered with smaller scales, 

 along the whole extent of the dorsal fin. Head olive- 

 green, intermixed with orange; upper part of sides 

 brimstone-yellow, tinged with green, purple and orange. 

 Body crossed by five or six irregular vertical, purplish- 

 brown bands. Belly yellowish- white, mottled with olive- 

 green. Mouth and pectoral fins deep orange; the 

 lengthened rays of the latter rose-red, upper ones and 

 tail variegated with purplish lines. All other fins yellow- 

 ish-green, with purplish-brown stripes or blots. Iris 

 yellow. Length 13, breadth 4^ inches. 



A good table fish ; caught with the hook. Not very abundant in 

 Table Bay. 



9. Cheilodactylus brachydactylus Cuv. & Val. 



fSteenklipvisch ; Pompelmoesje.J — Body oval ; head 



small ; lips fleshy, the upper one a little projecting ; 



mouth obtuse ; teeth criniform. The last six rays of the 



pectorals, cartilaginous, slightly detached from their 



connecting membrane, the second and third of them 



longest. These are rose-red, while the remainder, as 



well as the ventral fins are of an orange hue. Opercular 



and pre-opercular scales very small ; those of the body 



rather large. Head, back and flanks greenish-brown, 



lower parts and belly, silvery -white. Operculum and 



pre-operculum rose-red, tinged with silver and golden 



bronce. Middle-line sprinkled with six or seven dirty - 



white irregular dots. Fins brownish-green. Iris silvery, 



encircled by a yellow ring ; pupil dark blue. Total 



length 7 inches, breadth 2^ inches. 



Lives amongst the rocks at Green-point, and feeds on small Crus- 

 tacea?. Its flesh is tender and wholesome. 



SPARIDJE. 



10. S ARGUS HOTTENTOTTUS. A. SMITH. CHci/U/- 



6e?yer.) — Body broad, nearly ovate ; head small, pro- 

 jecting in front ; incisors firm, trenchant, similar to the 



