ON AN UNDESCRIBED DULES FROM NEW GUINEA. O 



the Sitli, while the anal commences beneath the SSncl and ends 

 beneath the 37tli ; the second anal spine is equally strong, but not 

 so long as the third, which is rather more than I of that of the 

 head : the ventral fin is strong, truncate behind, not quite reaching 

 to the vent ; the pectoral fin is short, less than J of the total length, 

 and reaches to the 13th lateral line scale : caudal forked. Scales — 

 moderate, ctenoid, firmly adherent ; 11 rows between base of 

 ventral fin and lateral line, 4 between the orbit and the preoper- 

 cular angle, and 3 across the opercle ; dorsal and anal fins with a 

 basal scaly sheath ; pectorals with a small basal patch outside ; 

 caudal covered with minute scales almost to the tips of the 

 lobes. Upper and under surfaces of the head, orbital ring, maxilla, 

 and the margins of the opercle and preopercle scaleless. Lateral 

 line — but slightly curved, its tubes simple. Fseudohranchice — well 

 developed. Gill-rakers — long and slender, about 36 in number, 

 the longest being almost ^ a diameter of the orbit. The length of 

 the abdominal portion of the vertebral column is to that of the 

 caudal as 1 to 1'72. Colors — uniform silvery, the back washed 

 with green ; fins immaculate. 



The fishes from which the above description was taken are three 

 in number, and measure individually from 9^ to 10| inches in 

 length. They belong to a collection purchased by the Australian 

 Museum from Mr. Cairns, and were obtained by him on the South- 

 east coast of New Guinea. Register number of type specimen 

 I. 945. 



