FISHKS. MCCULLOCH. 189 



Scales of the body rather large arid finely ctenoid, 

 except on the nuchal region and breast where they are 

 cycloid; they extend over the base of the caudal, but 

 leave all the other fins naked. The lateral line rises 

 abruptly from the shoulder and extends backward, 

 parallel with the back to below the fifteenth dorsal ray; 

 its tubes are simple and extend across about two-thirds 

 of each scale. One and a half scales are present between 

 the lateral line and the back and four rows separate the 

 end of the upper portion of the lateral line from the 

 lower, which extends along the middle of the sides of 

 the caudal peduncle. 



Dorsal spines very slender and somewhat flexible, 

 increasing in length backward, but the third is shorter 

 than the eye. The anterior fourteen rays are simple, 

 the remainder branched ; they are high and subequal 

 in length, the twentieth (8-5 mm.) 1-8 in the head. Anal 

 spines weak like those of the dorsal, the third longest. 

 Pectoral and caudal fins rounded. Second ventral ray 

 longest, not quite reaching backward to the vent; the 

 spine is inserted a trifle in advance of the origin of the 

 dorsal fin. 



Colour. Dark brown on the head and back, becoming 

 lighter on the sides and below. A dark line crosses the 

 middle of each scale of the anterior half of the body, and 

 uniting with its fellows, forms striking lines which 

 extend obliquely downward and backward through each 

 row of scales; these largely disappear behind the middle 

 of the body, but are traceable about the region of the 

 lateral line. Head with dark spots and lines extending 

 along the suborbital bone and across the operculum. An 

 indefinite yellow band is present along the middle of 

 each side. Dorsal fin brown, with many darker spots 

 and curved lines between the rays which tend to form 

 irregular horizontal bands. Anal similar to the dorsal, 

 but with the dots less distinct. Caudal with irregular 

 transverse rows of darker dots. Pectoral and ventral 

 fins hyaline. 



Described and figured from a somewhat damaged 

 specimen, 64 mm. long, from the New Hebrides. 



Identity. Two specimens labelled as Nesiotes pur 

 purasccns are preserved in the Queensland Museum and 

 registered 1.1351. The largest is 66 mm. long; length 

 to hypural joint 52 mm. the depth at the origin of the 



