Zoology.'] 



NATUEAL HISTORY OF VICTORIA. 



[^Fishes 



Measceembnts. 



Total length from tip of snout to end of upper lobe of caudal, of small 

 „ „ „ anterior edge of orbit 



,, „ „ posterior edge of orbit 



„ ,, „ end of maxillary 



„ „ „ edge of operculum 



„ „ „ base of pectoral ... 



„ „ „ first dorsal spine 



„ ,, „ first branched ray of dorsal 



„ ,, „ base of last ray of dorsal ... 



„ „ „ base of ventral ... 



„ „ ., first spine of anal 



„ „ ,, last ray of anal ... 



„ „ „ origin of caudal ... 



Greatest length of pectoral 

 „ ., ventral 



Height of first dorsal spine 

 „ second dorsal spine 

 ,, first branched ray 

 „ twelfth branched r,ay ... 

 „ first anal spine 

 „ second an.al spine 

 „ third anal spine 

 „ first branched ray 

 „ eighth branched ray ... 

 Length of lobes of caudal 

 Depth of head ... 



Greatest depth of body, opposite origin of branched dorsal ... 

 Space between eyes 

 Diameter of orbit 

 Seven or eight scales in six lines about middle of body. 



Colour: Caudal fin bright g'ambog-e yellow, with darker base and narrow whitish 

 posterior edge. Dorsal fin yellowish-olive, with brighter yellowish edge. Ventral 

 and anal with pale purplish menibrane, yellow rays and narrow whitish tips. Pec- 

 toral very pale yellowish, purplish at the base. A dull yellowi.sh bronze band, about 

 the width of the eye, extends from posterior edge of eye to upper lialf of base of tail, 

 a little wider about middle of body, where its lower edge is slightly above the middle 

 of the depth ; back and sides, above yellowish band, dark purplish blue, darkest and 

 with an olive tint on top of head, gradually becoming lighter over cheeks to throat; 

 lips dull yellowish ; sides, below yellowish band, and the belly pale purplish pearly 

 white. Iris yellow. 



Reference. — Cuv. and Val., Hist. Nat. des Poiss., v. 9, p. 208 = 5. axireo- 

 vittata, Schlegel, F. Jap. Poiss., t. 62, f. 1 = <S. grandis, Cast., Proc. Zool. Soc. Vict., 

 V. J, p. 115. 



There can be no doubt tliat tbis fish, so very conspicuous by its 

 size and colouring in the fish shops in summer, is perfectly identi- 

 cal with Schlegel's Japan Seriola cmi-eo-vittata, and I should have 

 preferred to use this name if Dr. Giinther had not satisfied himself 

 that it was a synonym of Cuvier and Valencienne's Brazilian 

 >S. Lalandi, which he traced by specimens across the Atlantic at 

 St. Helena and the Cape of Good Hope. It is certain also that 

 Count Castlenau's S. grandis of the Melbourne fish shops is the 



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