CLARIAS CAPENSIS.— Cuv. et Val. 



Pisces.— Plate XXVII. 



C. superne sordide olivacea, subtus subcamea pallide flavo-brunneo-tincta ; capite depresso, ore antice 

 hiante; naribus parvis superne patentibus; pinna caudale postice lunuata; linea, laterale antice 

 curvata postice recta. 



Longitudo e capitis apice ad extremitatem pinnse caudalis 25 unc. 



Colour. — The upper and lateral parts of the head, the back, the sides of 

 the body, and the fins, intermediate between apple and oil-green, darkest on 

 the head. The lower parts of the sides of the head and the body, as also all 

 the under parts, intermediate between flesh-red and wood-brown, and these, 

 in common with the parts first specified, exhibit a distinct coppery tint in 

 certain lights ; cirrhi light honey-yellow ; eyes straw-yellow. 



Form, &c. — Figure rather slender; head long, broad, depressed, and 

 nearly as wide at the muzzle as at the hindhead ; body, anteriorly, sub- 

 cylindrical, posteriorly compressed. In fresh specimens the surface of the 

 head and body, which are destitute of scales, are smooth and covered with a 

 semi-transparent glutinous fluid, like what occurs on eels (Anguilla), &c. 

 In dried specimens the upper and lateral parts of the head appear covered with 

 large bony plates, the surface of which is rough and granular, as will be seen 

 on reference to the figure representing a dried head. Three of these plates, in a 

 row, are distinctly visible on the side of the head behind the eye, and a fourth 

 under a portion of the second and third, appearing to constitute a rudimentary 

 gill-cover. The covering of the upper part of the head appears to be undivided, 

 and to be only variegated by the existence of a few furrows, destitute of 

 granules, and by two oval depressions in the course of the mesial line ; the 

 anterior is of considerable length, situated between the eyes, and considerably 

 wider behind than in front, the other is towards the nape, and very short as 

 compared with the former. The hinder edge of the plate covering the upper 

 surface of the head has three projecting points, with two semi-lunar crescents 

 between them, the convexity of each forwards ; the middle projection is in 

 the centre of the nape, in front of the dorsal fin. Mouth broad and opening 

 directly in front; jaws short and of equal length; cirrhi eight, those at the 



