Zoology.'] NATURAL HISTORY OF VICTORIA. [Fishes. 



quarter of an oval, of 13 rays ; ventrals broad, trigonal, of 1 spine and 6 branched 

 rays ; all the fin-rays, spinous and branched, rough, with short, spinulose granules. 

 Color: Whole surface of a rich tar-brown, with a vertical tawny-yellow band from 

 supra-scapular spine to spine at base of preoperculum, the throat and pectoral lighter 

 and with a rusty-red tinge, and the ventral blackish-brown with anterior spines 

 yellowish ; dorsal with spines yellowish, high triangular anterior portion blackish- 

 brown, posterior lower portion reddish-chestnut brown, with a conspicuous yellowish- 

 white, nearly colorless and translucent band at base, less than one-third the height 

 of the fin, with a narrow lighter edge ; middle lobe of caudal blackish-brown, upper, 

 lower, and middle margins yellowish ; anal blackish-brown, with a narrow, lighter 

 edge and a light band, yellow and less translucent than that of the dorsal, at base, 

 from one- fourth the height of the fin in front to one-half behind. Iris silvery 

 behind, orange in front. Inside of mouth pale flesh color. 



Measurements. 



Length from tip of snout to base of caudal 



„ „ „ anterior edge of orbit 





„ of upper caudal lobe ... 



„ „ lower „ 



„ „ pectoral ... 

 Greatest height of dorsal 



„ „ 1st dorsal spine 



» ,> 2nd „ 



» » 3rd „ 



J> It !» 



posterior „ 



edge of operculum spine 



base of pectoral 



„ Tentral 



,, dorsal 

 anal 



„ depth of body 



„ thickness of body 

 Length of supra-scapular spine 

 Space between eyes ... 

 Number of scales in 6 lines at middle of body, longitudinally 



» „ „ „ vertically 



Reference. — Shaw, Nat. Mis. and Gen. Zool. Fishes, vol. iv., t. 92. 



I should have had no doubt, like Count Castlenau, that this very 

 rare fish was identical with the unique specimen described about 

 eighty years ago by Shaw under the name of T. Australis, were it 

 not for the statements of Dr. Glinther that this type specimen of 

 Dr. Shaw, which is still in the British Museum, has 3 dorsal spines, 

 2 anal spines, 8 ventral keeled scales, and the height of the body 

 not quite one-half the length from snout to base of caudal. I 

 cannot say I feel satisfied that these remarks are correct, for 

 Shaw's figure, in his " General Zoology — Fishes," vol. iv., t. 92, 

 shows exactly the same relative height as our specimen, while Dr. 

 Giinther's proportion would stand for the edge, not base, of the 



[58] 



