the Ichthyology of Australia. 497 



right side, and originates at the margin of the nostril. The rays 

 between the thirty-fifth and fifty-fifth are equal to each other and 

 longer than the rest, which shorten very gradually each way ; the 

 first being about half the length of these, and the last only about 

 one- third of their length. The tips of ten or twelve of the most an- 

 terior rays are more tapering and their membrane more notched. A 

 single row of scales reclines against the fore- side of each ray, on 

 both sides of the fin. The anal* is formed like the dorsal. The 

 trunk of the tail, included between the caudal and these fins, is very 

 short, and consists of little more than the swelling base of the caudal. 

 The ventrals are not connected with the anal, and are not even in 

 the same plane with it, but are attached one on each side of the 

 edge of the belly. The outline of the fin is rounded ; all its rays are 

 jointed, its outer one is bound down nearly to its tip ; the membrane 

 is scaleless and is notched between the rays. The caudal is rhom- 

 boidal, its central ray is the longest, and all its rays are scaly. 



The scales of the head and body are of moderate size. A longi- 

 tudinal line between the gill- cover and caudal contains seventy, and 

 a vertical line at the broadest part of the fish forty -four. Each scale 

 is bordered on its exterior tip by a small elliptical disc, which appears 

 under the microscope to be thickly tiled with subulate teeth, the ex- 

 terior ones being the largest and forming a rough fringe ; next the 

 rough disc there is a semilunate spot, which in the dried specimen 

 contrasts strongly with the shining greenish epidermis of the rest of 

 the exposed disc, and was most probably more gaily coloured in the 

 recent fish. The concealed basal half of the scale shows many of the 

 usual fan-like furrows with corresponding shallow crenatures on the 

 margin. The lateral line is boldly curved over the pectoral fin, and 

 perfectly straight from thence to the tip of the caudal. A curved 

 line of similar construction proceeds from the posterior end of the 

 cranial ridge upwards to the base of the tenth dorsal ray. All the 

 colourless side of the specimen, posterior to the jaws, has been re- 

 moved in the preparation of it. 



Dimensions. inches . line8# 



Length from tip of upper jaw to extremity of caudal 9 5 



base of ditto 7 10 



anus 2 



pectoral 2 1£ 



■ ventral 1 7 



. anterior angle of lower eye . 5 £ 



upper eye . 6 



Length from tip of pectorals 1 5 



— ventrals , 6 



caudal 2 8 



highest dorsal or anal rays 10 



Vertical diameter of body 3 6 



Diameter of eye ' 3 



* This fin has been injured in Mr. Gilbert's specimen while the fish was 

 alive, four or five of the middle rays having been destroyed, though the 

 membrane remains. 



