Zoolngy.-] NATURAL HISTORY OF VICTORIA. IFIshes. 



This lar^e and beautiful food-fish has not been figured of the 

 colours of life before, and I find the markings variable in difix?rent 

 individuals ; they disappear in spirit and stuffed specimens 

 completely. 



Rare in Hobson's Bay or at the Heads ; the specimen figured 

 was caught in July, 1874. 



Explanation of Figures. 



Plate 173. — Fig. 1, specimen, with lineated back, and with probably Injured upper lobe of 

 tail, about one-third of natural size. Fig. la, teeth of upper jaw, natural size. Fig. 1ft, teeth 

 of lower jaw, natural size. Fig. Ic, scale from middle of body, twice the natural size. Fig. Id, 

 scale from lateral line, twice the natural size. Fig. le, form of section of middle of body. Fig. 

 If, section of pedicle of tail. 



Plate 174. 

 CHILODACTYLUS CARPONEMUS (Cuv. and Yal.) var. 



D. 17 + 33; P. 15; V. 1 +5; A. 3 + 18; C. f, L. 1. 62x\ (5 large, 3 small). 



Description. — Sixth pectoral ray from bottom reaching- horizontally to posterior 

 edge of row of scales runuing to eighth ray of anal. First anal spine about half the 

 length of the second, which is considerably thicker; third spine about as long as the 

 second. Colotir: Cheeks and sides of upper half of back pale purplish-grey, with 

 yellowish-brown bronze reflections, and with the edges of the scales bright blue, 

 fading to white on lower half of body and belly. Front of head from snout to dorsal 

 fin bright ultramarine blue and rich opaline purple, with numerous greenish-j'ellow 

 undulating bands radiating in pairs from upper three-fourths of eye, widening as 

 they cross over the front; binder ones only reaching edge of preoperculum (in 

 another specimen they reach to edge of operculum), interrupted between the eyes. 

 Middle of cheeks greenish ; throat purplish ; lower portion of opercular pieces and 

 cbin whitish; fin rays blue, those of the branched dorsal with two rows of yellow 

 spots. Membrane of spinous dorsal, pectoral, and ventral, pale-purplish, nearly 

 colourless. Membrane of branched dorsal, and anal, pale-greenish, obscurelj' clouded 

 with blue, orange, and yellow; rays blue; a bright hlue band at base on both rays 

 and membrane; a pair of broad yellow lines (united posteriorly) run along base of 

 branched dorsal. Membrane of caudal yellowish-olive, the upper and lower rays 

 bright blue, a duller hlue on middle rays and narrow posterior edge. Iris yellow. 

 Lips pink; inside of mouth black. Measurements : Length from tip of snout to base 

 of caudal, 2 ft. 2| ins. Proportional measurements to length of bodj', as 100 : Tip 

 of snout to edge of operculum, -^{^ ; to anterior edge of orbit, -^^^^^ ; diameter of 

 orbit, Tojj; longest (third) branched ray of pectoral, -j"/^ ; longest simple ray of 

 pectoral, x^-^; next ditto, ■!%";; next below, -iVtt ; greatest length of ventral, iVV ! 

 greatest height of spinous dorsal, -j-J,,; greatest height of branched dorsal, xhsi 

 length of upper lobe of caudal, xi^) lower lobe of caudal, -^-tj\; depth of body, ■^^. 



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