Zoology.] NATURAL HISTORY OF VICTORIA. [Fishes. 



ray, -^^ ; length of last ray, T 3 ^j- ; greatest depth hetween 1st and 2nd dorsal fins, 

 T y^. Length of largest, anterior, npper tooth, 5 lines ; length of upper anterior 

 teeth, 2 lines ; length of posterior lower teeth, 2 lines ; length of teeth of anterior 

 portion of lower jaw, |- line; those of edge of upper jaw, -^ line. Ahout middle of 

 hody 5 scales in one inch longitudinally, 3 vertically. 



Reference. — Lanioperca mordax (Giinth.), Ann. and Mag. Nat. Hist. 1872, 

 v. 10, p. 183 = Dinolestes Miilleri (Klunz.), Archiv. fur Naturges, 1872, p. 29, 

 t. 3 = Neosphyrcena multiradiata (Cast.), Proc. Zool. Soc. Vic, v. 1, p. 96. 



The Laniopercce resemble the Sphyrcence or Sea Pikes, but have 

 much more numerous rays in the second dorsal and anal fins, and 

 have teeth on the vomer, and bands of villiform teeth inside the 

 large ones on jaws. The typical species was made the type of the 

 genus Dinolestes by Klunzinger, and of Neosphyrcena by Count 

 Castlenau. 



The Skip-jack Pike, as it is called by the fishermen, is not un- 

 common in the winter and spring months, and is easily distinguished 

 from the Sea Pike, which it resembles generally and in color, by 

 its shorter, thicker form and much longer anal and second dorsal 

 fins. The color often seems a purplish-brown in the fish shops, 

 when dead some time and most of the scales off ; but when fresh 

 is purplish slate-grey above, like the Pike. 



Klunzinger's figure gives only four rays to the first dorsal fin, 

 and the photograph published by the Rev. J. E. Tennison- Woods, 

 in the " Fish and Fisheries of New South Wales," omits the first 

 dorsal fin altogether, the error in both cases probably arising from 

 the ease with which the spines are completely concealed when 

 depressed into a deep slit or groove at the base of the fin. 



Explanation of Figures. 



Plate 115. — Fig. 1, average specimen, half the natural size. Fig. la, under-view of head, 

 to show the form of the isthmus, half natural size. Fig. 16, inner view of mouth, natural size, 

 showing the villiform bands of minute teeth, tapering at anterior and posterior ends on each 

 jaw and on the front of tlie vomer, with the smooth tongue, and the row of larger outer teeth, 

 becoming very large behind on the lower jaws, and the smaller, more uniform, outer row of teeth 

 on the upper jaw, as well as the two pairs of great laniary teeth between the vomer and front 

 of the mouth, and the few larger teeth on sides of back of vomer (the lower jaw is nearer the 

 top of the plate). Fig. lc, scales from lateral line, twice the natural size. Fig. Id, scale from 

 above the lateral line, twice the natural size. Fig. le, scale from below the lateral line, twice 

 the natural size. Fig. If, portion of anal fin, natural size, to show the transverse streaks of 

 minute dark dots. 



Frederick McCoy. 



[62] 



