OTOLITHUS iEQUIDENS. 



double on each side, the hindermost opening the largest, situated about mid- 

 way between the eyes and tip of snout. The preoperculum towards its hinder 

 margin without scales, the covering radiated. Teeth numerous, particularly 

 towards the anterior extremities of the jaws, where they are irregularly 

 disposed; they are curved backwards, and pointed; in the upper jaw, the 

 anterior teeth are the largest, in the lower jaw those situated towards the 

 angles of the mouth. The lateral line commences at the shoulder-plate and 

 runs nearly parallel with the line of the back till it reaches opposite the 

 middle of the first dorsal fin, it then extends slightly downwards till it 

 reaches nearly opposite the commencement of the anal fin, from thence it 

 proceeds in a straight line to the base of the central ray of the caudal fin. 

 The line is slightly interrupted, and consists of a series of slender raised 

 tubes, one tube to each scale, the basal opening on the outer, the apical 

 opening on the inner surface of the scale ; externally, opposite the apical 

 opening, each tube appears as if it divided into a number of small branches. 

 The scales are rather small as compared with the size of the fish, somewhat 

 five-sided, the posterior side which form the apical portion semicircular, each 

 scale presents three forms of organization, a triangular portion embracing the 

 whole of the base, more or less reticular, the lateral portions finely ribbed, 

 and the apical portion subcellular ; the scales of the sides above the lateral 

 line and those of the back smaller than those below the line. The first dorsal 

 fin very low where it unites with the second ; its height anteriorly is con- 

 siderably greater than that of the second dorsal, the second and third rays are 

 the longest ; the hinder extremity of the second dorsal is rather nearer to the 

 caudal fin than the corresponding extremity of the anal is to the caudal. Pec- 

 toral fins subovate ; the caudal fin posteriorly semilunar, the convexity for- 

 wards. Length of a full grown fish from three feet to three feet and a-half. 



Fin rays D. 9— 27. P. 16. V. 6. A. 10. C. 18. 



The Geel Bek occurs abundantly in the seas immediately around the southern point of 

 Africa, and is often caught in numbers in Table Bay, both by the hook and the seine. It is 

 not much esteemed as food. 



