154- ' ENDEAVOUR " SCIENTIFIC RESULTS. 



NEOSEBASTES PANDA, Richardson. 



Sebastes pandus, Richardson, Ann. Mag. Nat. Hist., ix., 

 1842, p. 216, and Zool. " Erebus & Terror," Fishes, 

 1846, p. 70, pi. xli., fig. 3-4. 



Richardson's figure of this species was prepared from a 

 dried specimen, and some of the proportions are consequently 

 incorrect. The caudal peduncle is drawn much too long, and 

 the curve of the back is too rounded ; the upper profile of 

 the head is also much less steep than in specimens preserved 

 in liquid. 



Young specimens, 127 mm. long, differ from adults 310mm. 

 in length, in having the dark markings on the body and fins 

 more pronounced, and in having longer dorsal spines ; in 

 the small examples the third spine equals the height of the 

 body, whereas it is proportionally shorter in the larger ones. 



LOGS. Doubtful Island Bay, south-western Australia, 20- 

 25 fathoms. 



Great Australian Bight, west of the meridian of Eucla, 70- 

 120 fathoms. 



NEOSEBASTES THETIDIS, Waite. 

 Rough Perch. Thetis-fish. 



Sebastes thetidis, Waite, Mem. Austr. Mus., iv., I., 1899, 



p. 100, pi. xx. 

 Sebastodes thetidis, Waite, Mem. Nat. Club N.S. Wales, 2, 



1904, p. 47. 



This species has been placed in Sebastodes by Waite, but it 

 differs from that genus in having a well-developed cephalic 

 armature, and in particular in having strong recurved spines 

 on the suborbital stay. It evidently belongs to Neosebastes, 

 having all the generic characters of N. panda. 



This fish is very abundant in waters of 60-100 fathoms deep 

 off the eastern coast of Tasmania. It is known as the Rough 

 Perch by the fishermen on the " Endeavour," but is always 

 cast back into the sea as being of no value for food. When 

 brought to the surface its abdomen becomes greatly distended 

 by the internal gases, and it floats upside-down upon the 

 water. 



Colour. In life, reddish brown above, pink below, with two 

 darker cross-bars and some spots on the upper half of the 

 sides. Dorsals, anal, pectoral and caudal fins more or less 

 yellow, with dark greenish cross-bands. Pectoral pink. Iris 

 golden. 



