LEPTORHYNCHUS* CAPENSIS.— Smith. 



Pisces. — Plate VI. (Male.) 



L. gracilis, subcylindricus ; capite, dorso lateribusque super lineam lateralera purpureo-brunneis 

 sub lineam griseo-argenteo-lucentibus ; pinnis flavo-albis ; caudse apice acuminate- ; dentibus anteriori- 

 bus sparsis, majoribus leviter devaricatis recurvatis ; narium tubulis rubro-flavis ; oculis cupreo-flavo- 

 viridibus. 



Longitudo ab apice nasi ad caudse extremitatem 2 ped. 6 unc. 



Colour. — The upper and lateral parts of the head and body are purplish 

 brown, the head tinted with yellow; the lower parts and the sides of the body, 

 below the lateral line, greyish white, with a pearly lustre. Pectoral, dorsal, 

 and anal fins pale yellowish white, clouded with a slight shade of an umber- 

 tint. Eyes yellowish green, slightly bronzed ; tubes of nostrils reddish- 

 yellow. 



Form, &c. — Body for the greater part of its length nearly of equal size, 

 tapered towards the tail ; the lateral line commences over the pectoral fin, and 

 extends, in a faintly indicated groove, to the tail, nearly equidistant from the 

 back and abdomen ; towards the tail the line becomes faint and indistinct ; 

 under it a line of minute pores, not distinct at all parts of its course ; a lon- 

 gitudinal line of three or four similar pores under each eye, and a vertical 

 one of about the same number behind it. Eyes round, pupil circular; 

 nasal tube distinctly projecting and circular ; upper jaw contracted towards the 

 apex, and before and behind the contraction there is a distinct lateral bulge. 

 The anterior teeth of both jaws thinly set, slightly divergent and re- 

 curved ; the two or three anterior teeth of the palatal row small and recurved, 

 the next three in succession longer and rather widely apart from each other, 



* Leptorhynchi Ch. gen. — Figure slender, fusiform, eel-shaped; sides slightly flattened. Head small, 

 laterally compressed, above slightly convex ; jaws nearly equal, much elongated, forming a long, slender, 

 subcylindrical snout ; upper jaw depressed towards the point and laterally enlarged. Three rows of teeth 

 in the upper and two in the lower jaw, those at and near the point of each longest and slightly curved, 

 the remainder short, slender, nearly straight, pointed, and closely set together; eyes large and 

 rather nearer to the angle of the mouth than the tip of the snout ; nostrils single, tubular and situated 

 near to the lower edge of upper jaw, about half way between the eye and tip of snout; a few minute pores 

 under and behind the eye — those under in a longitudinal line, those behind in a vertical one. One branchial 

 opening on each side, vertical, semilunar and slightly in advance of the pectoral fins ; commence- 

 ment of dorsal fin some distance behind the pectoral fins, and like the anal, very slender and lying in a 

 furrow; both these fins vanishing gradually towards the tip of the tail, the latter pointed and without 

 fin. Lateral line distinct and formed by a series of raised, interrupted delicate strice, below which is 

 a line of minute pores. 



