BY E. R. WAITE. liJO 



outward and downward. Toward the base they are opposite, but 

 gradually lose this position and become alternate. Anteriorly the 

 sjiine is provided with minute barbs having an upward aspect 

 excepting towards the apex, where they are much larger and have 

 their points directed downward. 



The dorsal fin arises exactly at the point reached by the spine 

 when depressed into its groove ; it is low, the seventh ray longest. 

 Anal similar to the dorsal. Ventral spine large, its apex jointed : 

 towards the hinder margin of the fixed portion are two strong 

 barbs on both sides, united at their bases, having their hooked 

 points directed upwards and backwards; four precisely similar 

 barbs on the movable portion having a slightly less upward aspect. 

 At the base of the spine are four barbs pointing upward, the 

 remaining portion studded with smaller barbs. 



The ])ectorals arise directly behind the gill openings and are 1-7 

 in the length of the head ; the caudal rounded. 



The scales are small and from each arises a short obtuse spine, 

 some of which are bifurcate or even trifurcate from the base. 



The name nitens is most felicitous, for the greater part of the 

 body has the appearance of being silvered. The dorsal edge is 

 olive and the portion between the snout and the ventral spine is 

 closely spotted. Vertical and pectoral fins immaculate, caudal 

 with four delicate brownish transverse bars. 



Total length of the specimen 46 millim. 



Leptocephalus, Bonaparte. 



Until quite recently none of the forms described under this 

 name have, I believe, been met with in Australian waters. Dr. 

 Haast records L. longirostris, Kaup, from the coast of New 

 Zealand, as the only one ever obtained in that colony. On March 

 18th last Mr. Whitelegge secured a living example at Maroubra, 

 and only two months later Mr. Frank Middleton brought us a 

 second specimen from Dee Why, north of Port Jackson. Both 

 were transparent when alive, and could barely be distinguished 



