164 CONTRIBUTIONS TO AUSTRALIAN ICHTHYOLOGY, 



which is ahnost as long as the head and extends to, or nearly to, 

 the end of the fourth abdominal scute; the free portion of the 

 spine is longitudinally fluted : pectoral with 14 or 15 rays, If to 

 H in the length of the head : caudal fin about i of the total 

 length; the peduncle rather weak, its depth equal to or less than 

 the diameter of the eye. Abdominal scutes five, the second the 

 longest, as long as the terminal pair and about f of the length of 

 the ventral spine; soft dorsal and anal sheaths composed of three 

 pairs of scales, each of which is armed with a strong denticulated 

 spine and an outer serrated edge; expanded portion of the max- 

 illary closely studded with short, stout, conical spines, that part 

 which impinges upon the orbit being smooth or nearly so; opercle 

 with spinulose strife radiating from the base of the keel; remain- 

 ing bones of the head irregularly spinulose and pitted. Whitish 

 with a golden gloss anteriorly, the black skin visible between the 

 scales, especially on the tail; lips and chin black, the naked space 

 between the mandibles with numerous broad, fleshy, white 

 tentacles; luminous discs yellow; bony portion of maxilla and the 

 skin behind and beneath it white; tips of the larger gill- rakers 

 dull blue. 



Etymology : — gloria, glory; maris, of the sea. 



Type examined, in the Queensland Museum. 



Length to 225 millimeters. 



Eastern coast of Australia, south to Port Jackson. 



The " Knight-fish," so called because of the coat of mail by 

 which it is protected, occurs sporadically on our coast, usually 

 among the detritus washed up on the beach during storm}^ weather. 

 It may not, however, be so uncommon as would appear from the 

 small number of specimens to be found in our museums, for, being 

 plainly a fish which haunts rocky localities, it would necessarily 

 be out of reach of our net fishermen, while its sluggish habits and 

 dependence on the eflicacy of its luminous traps to lure its prey 

 within its reach — a mode of angling which of course necessitates 

 absolute quietude in the angler — -takes it equally out of the scope 

 of the line fisher's art, unless he should chance to drop the bait 

 literally into its mouth. 



