BAGEUS CAPENSIS. 



mouth; teeth short, slender, hair-like, closely set, and so numerous as to consti- 

 tute a belt of considerable width on the inner edge of each jaw, those of the 

 lower jaw rather thickest. Nostrils rather large, subovate, two on each side, and 

 situated between the eyes, and the edge of the upper jaw, nearest to the latter ; 

 . chin with four barbels, shorter and more slender than those at the extremities of 

 the upper lip ; the latter when extended reach to the base of the pectoral fins. 

 Operculum smooth, somewhat triangular, the superior and anterior portion 

 constituting the apex ; suboperciilum triangular, its superior side deeply 

 emarginate ; humeral bone immediately above the base of pectoral fin, large 

 triangular, and finely marked with elevated longitudinal stria. The skin 

 of the head and the body smooth. The lateral line anteriorly rather above 

 the level of the upper extremity of the branchial opening, and not distinctly 

 visible till nearly under the first ray of the anterior dorsal fin ; it consists of 

 a series of slightly elevated and interrupted tubes, each of which opens pos- 

 teriorly ; from its origin its course is slightly sloping until it reaches a point 

 over the commencement of the anal fin, after that it is horizontal to its termi- 

 nation, which is a little in advance of the central portion of the caudal fin. 

 Dorsal fin high anteriorly, comparatively low behind, the first ray spinous, 

 very strong, and armed anteriorly with a narrow ridge of serratures pointing 

 downwards ; pectoral fins of moderate size, the first ray of each like that of 

 the dorsal, the serratures which arm its anterior edge point towards its 

 base : the second dorsal fin small, adipose, superiorly slightly curved, and 

 posteriorly nearly vertical : anal fin very large, the anterior rays much larger 

 than the hinder ones : caudal fin deeply forked, the upper portion consider- 

 ably more produced than the lower. The hinder edges of the anal and 

 second dorsal are nearly opposite each other. 



DIMENSIONS. 



Inch. Lin. 

 Length from the point of the upper jaw 



to the first dorsal fin. . 3 4 



to the pectoral fin 3 10 



to the second dorsal fin 12 6 

 Distance between the pectoral and ven- 

 tral fins 4 5 



between the ventral and anal fins 2 7 h 

 between the second dorsal fin 



and the caudal fin 1 9 



Inch. Lin. 



Distance between the anal and caudal fins 1 1 1 



Length of the upper lobe of the caudal fin 4 7i 



of the lower lobe of ditto 4 



Width of the mouth at the angles 2 6 



Length of the first spine of the first dor- 

 sal fin ... ... 2 6 



of the pectoral fin 2 9 



Total length of the fish described 20 



The difficulty of describing the fishes of this genus in such terms as to enable naturalists 

 to recognise the known species which may come into their possession is so great, that it is 

 quite possible the one we have now considered as new, may have already been indicated ; if it 

 proves so, the name now given it will only require to be rejected. 



