Zoology.-] NATURAL HISTORY OF VICTORIA. IFishes. 



the common English examples of the species ; although, with its small 

 power of swimming, and habit of keeping on the bottom, it is difficult 

 to see how it could pass over so great a space, unless indeed, like 

 some few dog-fish brought up by the dredgers in the " Challenger^'' 

 it may have kept at the bottom all the way. It is a very voracious 

 creature, all our specimens being full of various bottom-keeping 

 fish, as well as Gasteropodous shells. The mid-line of tubercular 

 spines on the back is entirely absent in some of our specimens, 

 partially marked in others, and recognisable in another. The color 

 varies a little, some of the specimens being brown, and others more 

 greenish than the usual color mentioned above. The complexity 

 of the branching, lobing, or fringing of the skinny flaps at the 

 nostrils varies so much that I think Miiller and Heule, and Dumeril 

 have attached too much imjjortance to this structure in making it 

 a character for founding distinct species. The skin was formerly 

 used in Europe for polishing wood and ivory work. 



Not very uncommon in Hobson's Bay and round our coast ; 

 sometimes reaching 5 feet in length, though most of the specimens 

 are under 4 feet. 



Explanation of Figures. 



Plate 34. — Fig. 1, specimen, greatly reduced, seen from above. Fig. la, outline profile, 

 viewed from the side. Fig. 16, mouth, viewed from the front, showing the position and form of 

 the eyes, nostrils, fimbriated skinny flaps or appendages, rows of teeth, and tongue. Fig. \c, 

 upper tooth, natural size. Fig. Id, lower tooth, natural size. Fig. le, eye, nearly covered with 

 the ordinary spotted skin, having the pupil visible through a small slit. Fig. 1/, tubercles on 

 sides of head, magnified. Fig, \g, tubercles of side of pectoral, natural size. Fig. lA, tubercula- 

 tion of sides of ventrals, natural size. Fig. \i, tuberculation of back, magnified. 



Frederick McCoy. 



[20] 



