296 DESCRIPTIVE CATALOGUE OF AUSTRALIAN FISHES, 



" Head five times in the total length ; snout up to the nostril 

 contained seven times and one-third in the same, it is long, 

 compressed, and united to the head by a gradual profile ; the 

 mouth opens superiorly ; the orbit is contained seven times in 

 the length of the head, and the space between the nostril and 

 the anterior edge of the eye is equal to half the diameter of the 

 orbit. The upper part of the head is covered with very minute 

 scales, which have on the operculum a radiated disposition. The 

 pectorals are large and formed of twenty-three rays, the body 

 pentagonal and flat on its upper and lower surfaces ; the anus is 

 below the twenty-sixth ring ; the dorsal fin begins on the middle 

 of the twenty-fourth ring, and extends over the eight following ; 

 it is high and composed of thirty-four rays ; the tail is formed 

 of twenty rings, in form similar to the body, the last rings 

 longer, the caudal is as long as the snout, rhomboidal, of ten 

 rays, the four central ones prolonged into filaments. The upper 

 surface of the body is granulated. Colour olive, ^vitli the lower 

 parts yellow, caudal fin black." 



South Australia. 



The foregoing is Count Castelnau's description almost verbatim, 

 and I judge from a comparison between his description and that 

 given of Kaup's Fish, that they are distinct species. I therefore 

 change the name of this species to Castelnaui. 



964. Leptoichthys cristatus, n. sp. 



D. 24. Osseous rings 18 4- 27. 



Body compressed, twice as high as wide, with seven well 

 marked ridges : two dorsal, one on each side, and three ventral. 

 The head is compressed in front of ihe eye into a very sharp 

 high ridge, the mouth opens upwards and is almost vertical, 

 beneath there is a prominent ridge. The eye is large and nearly 

 in the middle of the head, the operculum is covered with 

 radiating striao, the tail is longer than the head and trunk united 

 and is perfectly quadrangular, the lower ridges are continuous 



