BY J. DOUGLAS OCULBY. 323 



Tropidostetiius rhothopiiilus, sp.nov. 



B. vi. D. 4. 1/15. A. 1/23. Y. 1/5. P. 14. C. 17. Vert. 

 15/29. 



Length of head five to five and a half, height of body five in 

 the total length. Eye situated near to the dorsal profile, its 

 diameter three to three and a half in the length of the head, 

 and four-fifths of the flattened interorbital space; snout obtuse 

 and convex, rather less than the diameter of the eye in length; 

 the upper jaw slightly projecting. Spinous dorsal situated above 

 the vent, and midway between the tip of the snout and the base 

 of the caudal fin; soft dorsal commencing above the anterior third 

 of the anal; caudal forked, its length six and three-fifths to six 

 and three-fourths in the total. 



General colour gray (pale straw-yellow in spirits), so closely 

 dotted with minute brown specks as to give it a brownish appear- 

 ance when nevv^ly caught; a broad silvery lateral band, margined 

 above by an emerald streak; the ventral edge faintly tinged with 

 green. Occiput with a large cuneiform emerald spot, the acute 

 portion extending forwards between the eyes; a brown spot con- 

 tained within its anterior half; nostrils pierced in an emerald 

 spot; supraorbital region tinged with pale green. 



These little Atherinids were first observed by Mr. Thomas 

 A¥hitelegge at Maroubra Bay* during the month of March, 1893, 

 but the specimens Avhich he brought back to the Museum, being 

 considered immature, were not critically examined on that 

 occasion. Their reappearance, however, in large shoals along the 

 coast during March of the present year induced us to investigate 

 more closely their habits, mode of life, and such other points in 

 their economy as could be observed; this difficult task has been 

 al3ly carried out by Mr. Whitelegge, with the result that though 

 the shoals have been on the coast from March until the date of 

 writing — July 31st — there is no appreciable difference in size. 



* Between Port Jackson and Botany Headj 

 v 



