^>

CH

p*Cj

HARVARD UNIVERSITY.

LIBRARY

OF THE

MUSEUM OF COMPARATIVE ZOOLOGY

^(9y)^

GIFT OF

vib&yvijCU, licLAjhr,

IAA, .

1 j (nriyYYxlvL &(,,, \qzlc

o" 6-, hi

CAPE OF GOOD HOPE.

DEPARTMENT OF AGRICULTURE

MARINE INVESTIGATIONS

* SOUTH AFRICA.

DESCRIPTIONS OF TWO NEW GOBIIFORM FISHES
FROM THE CAPE OF GOOD HOPE.

BY

G. A. BOTJLENGER, F.R.S.

CAPE TOWN:
W. A. RICHARDS & SONS, GOVERNMENT PRINTERS, CASTLE STREET.

1898.

A5035.6OO.11.98.

CAPE OF GOOD HOPE.

DEPARTMENT OF AGRICULTURE

MARINE INVESTIGATIONS

IN

SOUTH AFRICA.

DESCRIPTIONS OF TWO NEW GOBIIFORM FISHES
FROM THE CAPE OF GOOD HOPE

BY

G. A. BOULENGER, F.R.S.

CAPE TOWN :

W. A. RICHARDS & SONS, GOVERNMENT PRINTERS, CASTLE STREET.

1898

A5635. 600.11. 98.

Department of Agriculture,
Cape of Good Hope,
Cape Town.

The Government of the Colony of the Cape of Good Hope, having
undertaken an investigation into the Marine Fauna, &c, of the Coasts from an
economic and scientific point of view, the services of various specialists have
been procured to work up the material. This investigation will deal with
Marine Biology in the widest sense of the term, including the study of
conditions of life dependent on physical factors, such as currents, temperature, &c.
Each paper will be published separately as soon as received, and a volum
containing a number of papers will be issued at intervals.

J. D. F. GILCHRIST, M.A., Ph D., B.Sc,

Marine Biologist to the Government of the Colony of the
Cape of Good Hope.

DESCRIPTIONS OF TWO NEW GOBIIFORM
FISHES FROM THE CAPE OF GOOD HOPE.

BY

G. A. BOULENGEB, F.R.S.

GOBIUS GILCHRIST!

No canine teeth. Depth of body four times in total
length, length of head 3^ or 3^. Head as broad as deep, ij
as long as broad ; lower jaw projecting beyond the upper ;
maxillary extending to below anterior border of eye ;
diameter of eye 4^ to 5 times in length of head ; inter-
orbital space narrow, about half diameter of eye ; head
naked ; organs of the lateral line forming six vertical and
two horizontal series on the cheek. Dorsal VI, I 12 ; first
dorsal in contact with the second, nearly equally distant
from the end of the snout and the base of the caudal ; none
of the rays produced ; longest ray of second dorsal half
length of head. Anal I 10, opposite to soft dorsal. Pectoral
without filiform rays. Ventral reaching vent or not quite
so far. Caudal rounded. Caudal peduncle 1^ as long as
deep. Scales 55-56 in a longitudinal series, 17-19 in a
transverse series between dorsal and anal. Olive above,
spotted and marbled with blackish, dirty yellowish beneath ;
fins dark grey ; spinous dorsal streaked with black, soft
dorsal and anal with small black spots, both dorsals edged
with whitish.

Total length no millimetres.

Specimens were obtained by shrimp net in little Brak
River, Mossel Bay, in June, 1898. The river is salt for
several miles inland, as I am informed by Dr. Gilchrist, to
whom we are indebted for the discovery of this and the
following species.

CALLIONYMUS COSTATUS,

Depth of body eight times in total length, :ength of
head not quite four times. Head i^ as long as broad ; eyes
close together, as long as the snout, ^ length of head ; gill-
opening reduced to a small foramen on the upper surface of
the head ; preopercular spine curved upward, unicuspid, not
i diameter of eye. Dorsal III, 10 ; first dorsal very small,
longest ray measuring ^ length of head ; first ray of soft
dorsal longest, | length of head. Anal IO. Ventral reaching
beyond vent. Lateral line single, much developed, sending
off perpendicular branches above and below, the upper
branches, 35 in number extending to the middle line of the
back, giving the body a ribbed appearance. Yellowish grey,
back finely speckled with brown ; small blackish spots above
and below the lateral line ; spinous dorsal blackish.

Total length 55 millimetres.

This new species is described from two of four specimens
(probably young) procured in trawl 11 miles off Cape St.
Blaize in June, 1898, 40 fathoms.

■