SCIJENA HOLOLEPIDOTA. 



upwards and backward to the last-named fin. Abdominal outline between 

 apex of lower jaw and anal fin nearly straight or only very slightly waved, 

 the portion of outline in which the fin is set slightly arched, with an inclina- 

 tion upwards, the remaining portion with a slight slope upwards till within a 

 short distance of the caudal fin, where it changes its inclination, and slopes 

 downwards and backwards to the base of the fin. Head rather large ; nose 

 rounded and obtuse ; gape directed forwards, of moderate width, and each 

 jaw furnished with a row of moderately strong, pointed, cylindrical, and rather 

 short teeth, which have a curvature inwards, and are placed rather widely 

 apart. Besides these teeth, there is in the upper jaw a narrow row of small 

 slender teeth on their inner side, and in the lower jaw there is scattered 

 around the bases of the larger teeth a number of smaller ones, nearly 

 similar in form to the larger ones. The eyes are situated near to the superior 

 outline of the head, and directly over the hinder extremities of the maxillary 

 bones ; nostrils small, double, and placed directly in front of the inner corner 

 of the eye, and nearly directly over the angle of the mouth. The head, the 

 gill-covers, and the body, are covered with moderate-sized scales, which, on 

 the latter, are disposed in oblique rows, the direction of which is downwards 

 and backwards. The lateral line is arched anteriorly, the convexity upwards, 

 the posterior half is nearly straight. Dorsal fin deeply notched between the 

 spinous and cartilaginous portion, the third and fourth spinous ray the 

 longest, the second and fifth about equal and rather shorter than the fourth, 

 the first and seventh nearly of equal length, the second portion has its rays 

 nearly all of equal length, and all rather longer than the eighth spinous ray. 

 Pectoral fins somewhat fan-shaped, the upper rays longest. The ventral fins 

 are directly under the pectoral fins and the commencement of the dorsal fin, 

 and are truncated behind, as is also the anal fin. Caudal fin posteriorly very 

 nearly straight. 



B, 7 ; D. 10/19 ; P. 17 ; V. ; A. 8 ; C. 18. 

 Individuals are frequently caught which measure three feet, and even more, 

 in length ; but the ones most commonly obtained are between two feet five 

 and two feet eight inches. 



This fish, the Kablelgaauw of the Dutch inhabitants, is principally taken by means of baited 

 hooks ; but many occasionally are caught in seines. It is held in moderate estimation as an 

 article of food, and from such numbers existing in the vicinity of Table Bay, it forms one of the 

 staple fish of the Cape market, 



