3.--Descriptions of Fishes from the Coast of Natal. By J. F. D. GILCHRIST, M.A., D.Sc., PH.D., and W. WARDLAW THOMPSON.

FAMILY PERCIDE.*

AULACOCEPHALUS TEMMINCKII, Bleek.

(Yellow-stripe Rock Cod.)

DEPTH of body 3 times in total length excluding caudal, length of head 2 to 2 times; snout 23 times diameter of eye, which is 6 times in length of head, and equal to or slightly less than interorbital space; lower jaw projecting; maxillary extending to below centre of eye, the width of its distal extremity about diameter of eye. Gill-rakers longer than gill-fringes, 17 or 18 on lower part of anterior arch.

Dorsal ix 12; originating above base of pectoral; third or fourth spines longest, about 3 in head, shorter than longest soft ray; a deep notch between spinous and soft portions of fin. Pectorals 23 in head; ventrals shorter. Anal iii 9; second and third spines about equal, hardly half as long as longest soft ray. Caudal truncate. Lateral line strongly curved, approaching the spinous dorsal, forming an angle below the last dorsal ray.

Colour, a broad yellow stripe runs along near the dorsal region of the body, from the upper base of the caudal through the eye to the end of the snout.

Two specimens, one 230 mm. in length presented by Mr. Quekett, of the Durban Museum, the other 250 mm. in length from Mr. Robinson, Natal. They agree with the description of A. temminckii, but the rays of the soft dorsal are relatively a little longer, and there is no bifurcation of the yellow stripe.

A. temminckii occurs in the Sea of Japan, Siam, and Mauritius.

GRAMMISTES SEXLINEATUS, Thunb.

Teeth, in villiform bands on jaws, a small chevron-shaped band on vomer, a band on palatines. Depth of body 23 to 23 times in total

The older classification of families is retained for present purposes.

length excluding caudal, length of head 2 to 3 times. Snout slightly longer than diameter of eye, which is equal to or a little less than interorbital width and 4 to 5 times in length of head. Profile of head rounded, with a slight depression above orbits; cleft of mouth oblique, lower jaw slightly projects beyond upper and has a small flap or tubercle on chin, maxillary reaches to vertical of posterior margin of eye or slightly beyond it; vertical limb of preoperculum with three or four spinate denticulations on its border; three opercular spines, the middle one most developed and nearer to upper.

Dorsal vii, 1 13-14; spines weak, 3rd or 2nd and 3rd longest and a little more than length of head; soft portion of fin higher than spinous and with a rounded margin, longest rays about length of head. Pectorals same length as ventrals and rather more than

length of head. Anal 9; similar to soft dorsal, about the same height as soft dorsal or a little higher, but not so long. Caudal broad and rounded, about length of head and with a broad peduncle about length of head in breadth. Scales embedded in epidermis; numerous pores the openings of mucous glands all over the body, a specially prominent row (about 63 in all) in the region of the lateral line can be made out in the largest specimen.

Colour (of preserved specimens), blackish brown or chocolate brown, with seven or eight narrow longitudinal white lines extending over head and body. A quantity of mucus is given out over the body by this fish on capture, and some of it remains in white patches on the largest specimens.

Two specimens, from which the above description has been taken: one, 103 mm. in length, from Durban Museum, caught at Jetty Point by Mr. Turner, of the Harbour Board; the other, 107 mm. in length, from Mr. Robinson, Natal, caught at Durban. Another specimen, 70 mm. in length, also forwarded by Mr. Robinson, was caught in a small rock-pool at Isipingo, near Durban; the colour when the fish was alive is reported to have been black, and the longitudinal stripes yellow and five in number.

G. sexlineatus is found in the Indian and Western Tropical Pacific Oceans, and is recorded for the first time for Natal.

LUTIANUS SALMONOIDES, n. sp.

(Rock Salmon.)

Canines of upper jaw small, those of lower jaw equal the succeeding teeth and less than the most posterior. Depth of body 2,7 in total

length excluding caudal, equals length of head; snout a little over twice diameter of eye, which is 5 times in head; dorsal profile from end of snout to nape of neck almost straight; lower jaw not projecting beyond upper; maxillary reaches to below anterior half of eye; the suprascapula and posterior edge of preoperculum finely serrated, the latter slightly emarginate.

Dorsal x 13; fourth spine longest, a little over 2 in head; longest soft ray equals the free portion of the caudal region. Pectorals less than length of head equal distance between posterior edge of operculum and first margin of eye, and reach scarcely to the anus. Ventrals do not reach vent by about a fourth of the length. Anal iii 8; third spine longer than the second in the larger specimen, about equal to it in the smaller. Caudal emarginate. Sc. 44. Lat. line 46.

Colour. This a handsome fish, purplish brown above with reddish belly.

Two specimens, the larger, 317 mm. in length, from the harbour, Natal, where it is found near old wrecks and rocks; the smaller, 162 mm., from East London.

It is most nearly allied to L. argentimaculatus.

PRIACANTHUS CRUENTATUS, Lacép.

Depth of body 2 to 23 times in total length excluding caudal, length of head 3 to 3 times; snout about diameter of eye, which $ is 2 to 21 times in length of head; interorbital width 3 to 3 in length of head; spine at angle of preoperculum rather strong, serrated, length diameter of eye; 18 gill-rakers on lower portion of anterior arch.

Dorsal x 12; originating above origin of pectorals, spines subequal from the 4th or 5th; the last spine 1 to 2 times as long as 2nd, and to length of head; longest soft rays about longer than longest spines; spines strongly spinulose, soft rays feebly so. Pectorals to length of head; ventrals to length of head, spine strongly spinulose. Anal iii 14; 3rd spine longest, nearly as long as last dorsal spine; spines spinulose, soft rays feebly so. Caudal truncate. Scales ciliated. Sc. 100. Lat. 1. 78.

Colour (of preserved specimen), body whitish, dorsal, caudal, and anal fins edged with black.

This fish appears to be the immature form of the above-named species.

Two specimens, 141 mm. and 135 mm. in length respectively, from Durban Museum.

PRIACANTHUS ARENATUS, C. and V.

Depth of body 23 times in total length excluding caudal, length of head 3 times. Snout nearly diameter of eye, which is 24 times in length of head (without mandible); interorbital width 3 diameter of eye and 4 times in length of head. Spine at angle of preopercle short, and indistinct in larger specimen; preorbital serrated along upper and lower borders; an inconspicuous spine on opercle; maxillary reaches to vertical of anterior third of orbits; 23 gill-rakers on lower part of anterior arch.

Dorsal x 14; spines of moderate strength increasing in height to the last, which is 13 to 13 length of 2nd spine and 3 length of head; the first four spines more or less spinulose. Longest soft rays not much higher than longest spines; rays spinulose. Pectorals length of head. Ventrals as long as head, the spine to length of longest ray and spinulose. Anal iii 15; 3rd spine longest, to height of longest spine of dorsal; spines and soft rays spinulose, soft portion of fin about the same height as soft dorsal. Caudal slightly emarginate. Scales spinulose 90-96; lat. 1. 78, lat. tr. 32-40'

9-9

Colour (of preserved specimens), pale brownish yellow, slightly reddish above.

Two specimens, one 260 mm. in length, from Mr. Robinson, Natal, who reports it is a fish caught by the fishing boats off Port Shepstone; the other, 121 mm. in length, was procured from Indian fishermen in Durban Harbour.

AMBASSIS NATALENSIS, n. sp.

Teeth, villiform on jaws, vomer, palatines, and on tongue. Depth of body 2 to 3 times in total length excluding caudal, length of head 3 to 3 times. Snout equals interorbital width and is to diameter of eye, which is 2 to 3 times in length of head. Cleft of mouth very oblique, lower jaw longer than upper, maxillary reaches to vertical of anterior margin of orbits; a spine at posterior upper angle of orbits; vertical and horizontal edges and outer margin of the preoperculum finely serrated; the inner margin has two strong spines at its angle directed backwards; preorbital serrated, interopercle not serrated.

Dorsal, vii I 10-11; spines moderately strong, 2nd spine longest, to length of head and about the height of the body below it. Pectorals to length of head. Ventrals to length of head. Anal III 10-11; 3rd spine longest, about to length of head and 3 Caudal forked. Scales, 2

to height of longest spine of dorsal.