428 DESCRIPTIVE CATALOOtTE OF ArSTRALlAN FISHES, 



yellow tinge ; the dorsal fins liave a black border, tlie caudal is 

 black with a yellow margin ; the anal is white with its base pink, 

 and a small black spot on its anterior angle ; ventrals whitish ; 

 pectorals yellowish-green with the base dark. Eye silvery with 

 a bluish tinge ; a black spot on the upper part of the operculum. 



Western Port. Length six and a-half inches. 



Genus Laoepedia, Casteln. 



Pr^operculum strongly serrated, operculum with a strong 

 point. Teeth numerous and cardiform in the jaws with canines, 

 teeth on the vomer and palatine bones. One dorsal. Fins scaly, 

 pectorals large, some of the rays simple. 



281. Laoepedia cataphracta, Casteln. 



Proc. Zool. Soc, Victoria, Vol. II., p. 43. 



D. 11/22. A. 3/10. L. lat. 56. L. transv. 28. 



Form rather high and convex above, mouth oblique, the lower 

 jaw longest ; head covered with elevated scales ; scales moderately 

 large and triangular looking. Spinous dorsal low and even ; the 

 third anal spine the longest. Caudal bilobed ; ventrals inserted 

 below the pectorals ; the pectoral rays are thick, and only the 

 two lowest simple. The height of the body is twice and a-third 

 in the length without the caudal, the head three times and a 

 quarter in the same ; and the eye is a little over one-fourth of 

 the length of the head. Colour in a dried state, uniform light 

 yellowish-brown. 



Described from one injured specimen about seven inches in 

 length. 



Family VIII. SCOEP^NIDiE. 



Perciform fishes with a bony stay for the angle of the prreoper- 

 culum, which is armed ; the bone arising from the infraorbital 

 ring. Body with or without scales. 



