the Ichthyology of Australia. 17 



and they are all perfectly smooth. The operculum exhibits no ves- 

 tige of a spine, but its broad membranous border is supported by a 

 thin, narrow, cartilaginous rib, which runs out from the subopercu- 

 lum. The teeth form pretty broad and densely villiform bands on 

 the jaws, the posterior ones near the symphysis being a little longer, 

 but all are short. On the vomer and palatine bones these teeth are 

 very short, and there is a small cluster in the middle of the tongue 

 which is just perceptible to the naked eye, and very sensible to the 

 finger. The pharyngeal teeth are not longer than those in the jaws. 



Rays:— B. 7 - 7 ; D. 5|- 1|10; A. 2|9 ; C. 15|; V. 1|5; P. 11. 



The branchiostegous rays are very slender. 



The dorsal commences over the anterior third of the pectorals, 

 and rather before the middle of the ventrals. The first spine is very 

 short and acute ; the second is the longest and strongest, and tapers 

 suddenly at the top, which is slightly curved ; the third is a little 

 shorter, and the fifth is half the length of the second. This fin has 

 a smaller number of rays than is ascribed to any other species in the 

 ' Histoire des Poissons.' They are alike in our two specimens. The 

 spine of the second dorsal is not quite half as long as the soft rays. 

 The first anal spine is barely perceptible, and the second spine and 

 soft rays are shorter than those of the second dorsal. The ventrals 

 are scarcely shorter than the pectorals, and are attached a little 

 further forwards. The spine is one-third shorter than the soft rays. 

 The caudal is rounded ; it has fifteen forked rays and four graduated, 

 simple, jointed ones above and below. 



The collection contains two specimens — one dried, the other in 

 spirits, neither of them retaining much of their original colours. There 

 are no traces of any stripes on the body, or caudal spots having ever 

 existed. The upper parts appear to have been dark in colour, gra- 

 dually softening off towards the belly. The specimen in spirits ex- 

 hibits faintly the hue of the grounds of Port wine, which probably 

 was diffused over the head and upper part of the body. The fins 

 appear dark. These traces of colour agree with the tints of Ap. ni- 

 gripinnis or vinosus, but the number of dorsal rays is different. The 

 only previously known New Holland species is banded (Mullus fas- 

 ciatus. White) . 



The scales are orbicular or widely oval, with about twenty furrows 

 and corresponding marginal crenatures on the basal half of the circle, 

 radiating from towards the centre, but not reaching it, and a narrow 

 chequered border with very minute teeth exteriorly. The lateral 

 line has nearly the curve of the back, and changes to a straight course 

 through the tail very gradually. It is composed of forty scales, each 

 having a simple but rather uneven elevated tube on its surface. There 

 are two scales on the base of the caudal, beyond the termination of 

 the lateral line. The two central rays of the caudal diverge rather 

 more at their bases than the other rays, thus dividing the fin into 

 two parts. There are five rows of scales above the lateral line, and 

 about thirteen below it, under the first dorsal. 



Ann. §• Mag. N. Hist. Vol. ix. 



