the Ichthyology of Australia, 181 



differing in this respect from the same rays in most Atherines, which 

 have them equally slender and flexible with the other rays. Ath. Hum- 

 boldtiana alone, of the species figured in the ' Histoire des Poissons,' 

 seems to have the anterior ray of these fins stiff and pungent. The 

 four posterior rays of the first dorsal are very slender and flexible, 

 and the two nearest to the spine have filamentous tips overtopping 

 it by half their height. The spine of the second dorsal is slightly 

 curved, and but little shorter than the jointed ray which immediately 

 succeeds it. The fin rises somewhat as it runs backwards, and ends 

 in an acute point, which reaches to the base of the caudal. The 

 anal is very similar to the second dorsal and is equally pointed, but 

 its spine is scarcely so long. The naked trunk of the tail, bounded 

 by the three vertical fins, forms more than a seventh part of the en- 

 tire length of the fish. The ventrals are attached before the middle 

 of the pectorals, and their soft rays end in a thread-like tip, which 

 overlaps the commencement of the anal. The pectoral is acute, its 

 fourth and fifth rays being the longest : the lower ones are short, 

 giving a rounded form to that part of the fin. The caudal is forked. 



Rays:— D. 1|4-1|12; A. 1|18; C. 17f ; P. 13; V. 1|5. 



The head forms a fifth part of the length of the fish ; the snout is 

 flat, and the intermaxillaries are horizontal near the symphysis, but 

 their limbs bend at a right angle : the lower jaw has a similar but 

 less acute flexure. The teeth, moderately strong, stiff, and sufficiently 

 visible to the naked eye, form a narrow villiform stripe on each jaw. 

 The edges of the vomer and palate-bones are rough to the touch, 

 but a common eye-glass is insufficient to show their teeth. The 

 diameter of the small eye is just equal to the portion of the snout 

 which lies before it. The preoperculum forms an acute angle, as in 

 the Mullets, and there are three rows of scales on the triangular 

 cheek enclosed by its limbs, a larger scale covering the corner of 

 the bone. The scales of the body are large, there being only thirty 

 on the lateral line, exclusive of several small ones on the base of the 

 caudal. A vertical row on the most elevated part of the side con- 

 tains ten scales, of which four are above the lateral line and five 

 below it. The disposition of the scales is in very regular longitu- 

 dinal rows, the exposed disc of each forming a vertical ellipse acute 

 at both ends, and approaching to a hexagon. The lateral line is 

 marked by a pore in the disc of each of its scales, which are similar 

 in size and form to the others on the body. An even black stripe, co- 

 incident with the scales of the lateral line, terminates at the base of 

 the caudal, and is continued forwards over the gill-cover, upper half 

 of the eye, and sides of the snout. This black stripe replaces the 

 usual silvery lateral band, of which there is no other vestige. All 

 the scales above it have narrow black borders, which produce rows 

 of meshes. The scales below the band are destitute of dark mark- 

 ings. There are some blackish tints on the fins, most evident on 

 the dorsals. 



Dimensions. inches . lines . 



Length from upper teeth to tip of caudal fin 3 2 



base of caudal 2 8 



