OF NEW SOUTH WALES. 235 



the fourth dorsal spine is contained over three times in the 

 height of the body, but I do not believe that Scatophagies ornatus 

 of Cuvier and Valenciennes can be united with it on acoount of 

 the difference of the colours. On the living specimen the 

 general colour is of a light grey with the lower parts white ; the 

 head is copper colour, and the numerous rounded spots on the 

 body are of a dark grey. 



I have lately received through Mr. Gulliver a specimen of this 

 sort caught at the entrance of the Norman River, in the Gulf of 

 Carpentaria, and also a small one by Mr. Duboulay, from Card- 

 well, in the north of Queensland. 



Note. — I have obtained a large specimen of Scatophagies mul- 

 tifasciatus at Sydney in the month of September ; it measures 

 fifteen inches long. 



PSETTUS ARGENTEUS. 



(Jhoeiodon argenteus, Linn. Amcen. Acad. IV., p. 249. 



Psettus argenteus, Richard, Ereb. and Terror, Fishes, p. 57, 

 pi. 35. 



This pretty little fish which I had often observed at Singapore 

 and Malacca is remarkable by its broad compressed form and 

 the height of its dorsal and anal fins. It is of a fine silvery 

 colour with the fins yellow ; the higher part of the dorsal and 

 anal are partly obscure ; an oblique band of purple colour over 

 the eyes ; the scales of the body fall off very easily. 



The specimens are, one three inches long and the other over 

 six. They were caught in the Brisbane River, near its mouth, 

 in salt water. This sort bears in Queensland the name of Sweep ; 

 since, in the month of May, I have observed this fish in great 

 numbers in the Sydney market. 



Platax VESPERTILIO. 

 Ghoetodon vespertilio, Block, pi. 199, f. 2. 



I have received a specimen of this curious fish from Cardwell , 

 Queensland. It was known to inhabit all the Indian Seas, and 

 has been found on the coast of New Guinea, by Messrs. Quoy 

 and Gairaard. It is higher than long, very depressed, with its 



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