BY W. MACLEAY, F.L.S. 121 



Each, jaw on each side has more than forty small teeth. Body 

 brownish, uniform or irregularly marbled or spotted ; a black 

 ocellus on the operculum ; lower part of the cheeks with pearl- 

 coloured spots ; base of the dorsal and anal fins with bluish spots. 



Port Darwin, Port Essington, and West Australia. 



Count Casteluau described in "Eesearch.es on the Fishes of 

 Australia, p. 43-44," a large Pish from Western Australia, which 

 he refers with some doubt to the family Ophidiidce. It cannot, 

 however, possibly belong to this family, and the very defective 

 condition of the specimen from which the Count manufactured 

 the genus and species, leaves it a matter of great doubt as to its 

 being even of the Order Anacanthini. I therefore omit it 

 altogether from the Catalogue. He gave it the name of Othos 

 cephalotes. 



Family V. MACEUEID.E. 



Body terminating in a long, compressed, tapering tail, covered 

 with spiny, keeled or striated scales. One short anterior dorsal 

 fin, the second very long, continued to the end of the tail, and 

 composed of very feeble rays ; anal like the second dorsal ; no 

 caudal. Ventral fins thoracic or jugular, composed of several 

 rays. Pseudobranchia3 none ; six or seven branchiostegals ; air- 

 bladder present. Pyloric appendages numerous. 



Genus Macrurus, Bl. 



Scales of moderate size, keeled or spiny. Snout produced, 

 conical ; mouth inferior. Head with rough ridges ; the suborbital 

 ring forms a strong lateral ridge, joined with, and supporting 

 the angle of the pra? operculum, which has a very distinct ridge. 

 Teeth in a band, villiform or cardiform, without larger ones in 

 the outer series; palate smooth. Ventral fins below, or immediately 

 behind or before the pectorals. A barbel. 



All temperate seas. 



