Notice of a Pipe Fish from Old Calabar. 227 



III. (1.) Notice of a Species of Pipe Fish of the gmus Doryichthys, 

 Kaup., probably new, recently brought from Old Calabar. By John 

 Alexander Smith, M.D. (Specimen exhibited.) 



I am indebted to my friend Dr Hewan, who is now pre- 

 sent, for various specimens of natural history which he has 

 recently brought with him from Old Calabar. Of these, I 

 will at present exhibit this small pipe fish, which seemed 

 to belong to the genus Doryichthys, Kaup., and was probably 

 a new and undescribed species ; at least, I have been unable 

 to find the description of any species which exactly corres- 

 ponded with it ; and the pipe fish of Western Africa are, I 

 believe, as yet but very imperfectly known. 



The body is deeper than broad ; hexangular (including 

 projection of lateral line) to beyond anus and base of tail as 

 far as the dorsal fin extends ; beyond this the tail is quad- 

 rangular. Snout slightly spotted with black, perfectly 

 smooth on its edges and sides, with three faint lines along 

 its upper surface, — a central line, and one from front of each 

 orbit running above nostrils ; these lateral lines are also pro- 

 duced backwards to occiput ; a fainter line from below orbit 

 and nostril joins the lateral lines in front. A raised central 

 line runs backwards along occiput and centre of first two 

 rings of body. Another raised line also runs horizontally 

 across middle of operculum (which is continued across first 

 segment of body), with two fainter oblique lines below, run- 

 ning up to the front of this horizontal line. 



Body of 22 rings or divisions. 



Tail of 24 do. do. 



19 rings before dorsal fin. 



Dorsal fin placed apparently on 9 rings, 3 of which belong- 

 to the body. 



Lateral line distinct, turns down by an arc to join the 

 lower edge of tail, and a short interrupted lateral lino 

 beyond this arc, curves gently upwards, and joins the upper 

 edge of tail at the posterior termination of the dorsal fin. 



Edges of back and lateral line serrated, so as to catch 

 finger when drawn towards the head; each ring having a 

 spinous projection a little within its distal margin, longer 

 in posterior rings or segments. 



vol. nr. 2 g 



