BAGKUS CAPENSIS. 
mouth; teeth short, slender, hair-like, closely set, and so numerous as to consti- 
tute a belt of considerable width on the inner edge of each jaw, those of the 
lower jaw rather thickest. Nostrils rather large, subovate, two on each side, and 
situated between the eyes, and the edge of the upper jaw, nearest to the latter ; 
chin with four barbels, shorter and more slender than those at the extremities of 
the upper lip ; the latter when extended reach to the base of the pectoral fins. 
Operculum smooth, somew r hat triangular, the superior and anterior portion 
constituting the apex ; suboperculum triangular, its superior side deeply 
emarginate ; humeral bone immediately above the base of pectoral fin, large 
triangular, and finely marked with elevated longitudinal strice . The skin 
of the head and the body smooth. The lateral line anteriorly rather above 
the level of the upper extremity of the branchial opening, and not distinctly 
visible till nearly under the first ray of the anterior dorsal fin ; it consists of 
a series of slightly elevated and interrupted tubes, each of which opens pos- 
teriorly ; from its origin its course is slightly sloping until it reaches a point 
over the commencement of the anal fin, after that it is horizontal to its termi- 
nation, which is a little in advance of the central portion of the caudal fin. 
Dorsal fin high anteriorly, comparatively low behind, the first ray spinous, 
very strong, and armed anteriorly with a narrow ridge of serratures pointing 
downwards ; pectoral fins of moderate size, the first ray of each like that of 
the dorsal, the serratures which arm its anterior edge point towards its 
base : the second dorsal fin small, adipose, superiorly slightly curved, and 
posteriorly nearly vertical : anal fin very large, the anterior rays much larger 
than the hinder ones : caudal fin deeply forked, the upper portion consider- 
ably more produced than the lower. The hinder edges of the anal and 
second dorsal are nearly opposite each other. 
DIMENSIONS. 
Inch. Lin. 
Length from the point of the upper jaw 
to the first dorsal fin. . 3 4 
to the pectoral fin 3 10 
to the second dorsal fin 12 6 
Distance between the pectoral and ven- 
tral fins 4 5 
between the ventral and anal fins 2 ? | 
between the second dorsal fin 
and the caudal fin 1 9 
Inch. Lin. 
Distance between the anal and caudal fins J 1 1 
Length of the upper lobe of the caudal fin 4 7 5 
of the lower lobe of ditto 4 0 
Width of the mouth at the angles 2 6 
Length of the first spine of the first dor- 
sal fin ... ... 2 6 
of the pectoral fin 2 9 
Total length of the fish described 20 0 
The difficulty of describing the fishes of this genus in such terms as to enable naturalists 
to recognise the known species which may come into their possession is so great, that it is 
quite possible the one we have now considered as new, may have already been indicated ; if it 
proves so, the name now given it will only require to be rejected. 
