BY E. P. RAMSAY, F.R.S.E., AND J. DOUGLAS-OGILBY. 9 



Genres abbreviatus, and Chwtodon lineolatus, for the last of which 

 we are indebted to Mr. Peter Henderson, chief officer of the 

 Governor Blackall, who picked it up at Port Moresby. 



Ambassis gigas. sp. nov. 



B. vi. : D. 7. 1/12 : A. 3/11 : V. 1/5 : P. 15 : C. 17 : L. lat. 

 39 : L. trans. 6/13. 



Length of head 3£, of caudal fin 4, height of body 2h in the 

 total length. Diameter of eye 3{| in the length of head, f of a 

 diameter from the end of snout, and jj of a diameter apart. 

 Lower jaw the longer. Upper surface of head deeply concave, 

 owing to an abrupt rise from above the last third of the eye to 

 the root of the dorsal fin : the maxilla reaches to the middle of 

 the orbit. Vertical limb of preopercle entire ; lower double edge 

 serrated, the upper more coarsely so, the denticulations at the 

 angles being very strong in both : interopercle finely serrated 

 posteriorly ; pre-orbital with its lower edge serrated, and with a 

 raised ridge bearing one or two serrations superiorly : two small 

 spines at the postero-superior angle of orbit. Villiform teeth in 

 the jaws, vomer, and palate, the outer row in the former enlarged; 

 no lingual teeth. Second dorsal spine very strong, rather longer 

 than the head without the snout ; second anal spine much longer 

 and stronger than the third, more than the head behind the eye. 

 The last spine of the first dorsal is f of the spine ol the second 

 dorsal, and is attached to it throughout f of its own length. Part 

 cf the outer ventral ray is filiform, and reaches to beyond the 

 origin of the anal : the pectorals are equal in length to the second 

 dorsal spine : caudal forked. Lateral line continuous. Cheeks 

 and opercles scaly. Colors, yellowish above the lateral line, each 

 scale with a brown marginal streak interrupted in the middle, 

 giving the fish a more or less banded appearance : sides and lower 

 parts silvery : vertical fins dusky ; a deep black spot behind the 

 tip of the second dorsal spine. 



The specimen measures over 8^ inches ; its register number is 

 B. 9958. 



Hab. Strickland River, New Guinea. 



