486 
APPENDIX. 
It is then abundantly caught, salted, and dried for exportation. The 
cured or dried Cape Stok-fsh is an excellent dish, far superior to that 
insipid stuff, introduced from Holland or other countries. 
XIPHIURIDiE. 
41. Xipiiiuiius Capensis. A. Smith. (Koningkhpvisch ; 
King's Kock-Jish.) — Body almost cylindrical, moderately robust. 
Head large ; two rows of larger teeth in the upper, one of 
smaller ones in the lower jaw T ; vomer armed with teeth of the 
same description. Two barbels pending from the under surface 
of the low 7 er mandible. Pectoral fins of an oval form ; dorsal, 
caudal, and anal fins, united. Tail narrow, tapering, compressed, 
sword-shaped. Ventral fins none. Scales very small. (A. 
Smith.) Has a large and very firm air-bladder. Flesh-coloured 
and clouded by a variety and intermixture of hues, difficult to 
describe. Lower surface, belly, and point of tail, tinted with 
pale purple. 
This fish, in some respects, seems closely allied to the family of the 
GadidcB, while on the other hand it somewhat resembles the Murcs?iidce, 
Although its habitat is deep water, and not (as its name implies,) 
amongst cliffs and rocks, yet it justly deserves the title of King's-fish, 
being without exception, the most desirable fish obtainable in our 
bays. It is rather scarce, is an expert swimmer, appears on the coast 
as a harbinger of rough, stormy weather, during winter, and commonly 
sells at very remunerating prices. Dr. AjvDkew Smith, the intelligent 
South African traveller, gave the first description of this fish in his 
admirable Illustrations of the Zoology of South Africa. It was how- 
ever known previously to Barrow, (1797,) who m his travels, (page 
30,) mentions it in the following terms. "Another Blennius, called 
King's Rock-fish, is sometimes caught (in Table Bay,) to which, from 
its resemblance to the Murcence of the ancients, naturalists have given 
the specific name of Murcenoides." 
I quote this passage for the purpose of contradicting Dr. Smith, 
who says, "that during one of the several earthquakes, which occured 
many years ago, at the Cape, one or more sandbanks were formed near 
the entrance of Table Bay, and that not long after, the first specimens 
of this fish were obtained." It is evident that by some mistake or 
other, he attributed to the Xiphiurus, what applies to the Stokvisch. 
PLEURONECTIDJ3. 
42. Solea Vulgaris. Cuv. (Tong ; Sole.) — Body oblong, 
flat, pointed towards the tail ; snout arcuated, projecting beyond 
the mouth, which is fringed below with small ciliated scales. 
Jaws unequal, armed on the under or white side only, with very 
minute, crowded teeth ; eyes small, spherical, placed near each 
other on the upper or coloured side. Dorsal and anal fins ex- 
tending as far as the tail. Ventral fins near the head ; tail 
