the Ichthyology of Australia. 357 



the three, and is twice the height of its first one. The ventral spine 

 is more slender, and is one-third shorter than the soft acute point of 

 the fin, which reaches nearly to the vent. The caudal fin forms one- 

 sixth of the total length of the fish, and is moderately and somewhat 

 irregularly rounded ; its upper corner being acute and rather longer 

 than the under one. 



The original colours of the specimen have disappeared, but the 

 distribution of some of the darker tints may still be made out. The 

 top and sides of the head have a. dark brownish hue, which is sepa- 

 rated from the inferior orange or reddish yellow parts by an even 

 line running from the corner of the mouth beneath the angle of the 

 preoperculum and pectoral fin. There is a purplish brown patch on 

 the chin. The light tints of the under surface rise in the axilla of 

 the pectoral to the middle of the side, and are continued at that 

 height to the caudal. The upper parts have in the dried fish a not 

 very uniform leaden hue. Three broad dark bars descend from the 

 spinous part of the dorsal to the lateral line ; there is a fourth be- 

 fore the fin, and a fifth more obscurely seen at the end of the soft 

 part. The intermediate paler spaces are narrower than the bars. All 

 the fins have a yellowish tint, except the three upper pectoral rays, 

 which have the dark hue of the dorsal bands. There are no mark- 

 ings on the dorsal, though the colour of the spinous part is somewhat 

 deeper than that of the soft part. Two diaphanous lines traverse the 

 middle of the anal, and five similar ones cross the caudal, followed 

 by dots on the end of the fin. 



Dimensions. inches . i in es. 



Length from front teeth to tip of the caudal fin 10 



base of ditto 8 8 



vent 4 11 



ventrals 3 3 



dorsal ....* 3 2£ 



pectoral 3 



tip of gill- cover 2 11 



edge of orbit 1 5 



Diameter of orbit 6^ 



Length of pectorals 2 4 



ventrals 1 6 



Height of body 3 



trunk of tail 1 



Labrus ? iris (Solander), Rainbow Labroid. 



Labrusl iris*, Solander, Pise. Nov. Holl. 



This fish was obtained on Cook's first voyage to the coast 

 of New Holland, off Bustard Bay, in the 24th parallel of south 

 latitude and 208J° meridian. Solander has not furnished us 

 with the means of ascertaining its proper genus, and we quote 

 his description chiefly to excite the attention of collectors who 



* Labrus iris of Lacepede is a Centrarchus, and is identical with his La- 

 brus macropterus. 



