122 NOTES AND DESCRIPTIONS OP SOME PORT JACKSON FISHES, 



our distinguished Secretaiy, on whose fete-day it was obtained, 

 and who originally described it. The following is a description of 

 the specimen, which measured 10|^ inches. 



Ammotretis Macleayi. 

 D. 80. A. 50. P. 12. V. dext. 7, sin. 4. L. lat. 87. 

 Length of head 41, depth of body If^ in the total length. Eyes 



on the same level, divided by a narrow 

 diameter, which is i^ in the length of head, and f of the snout. 

 The maxillary ends some distance in front of the eye. Teeth in 

 villiform bands on the blind side only. Dorsal fin commences on 

 the tip of the rostral appendage, and is not continued to the base 

 of the caudal : the longest rays are behind the middle of the fin, 

 opposite and equal to the longest anal rays and scarcely ^ of the 

 body below them. The anterior rays are almost free. The base 

 of the left ventral is only J of that of the right, which is 

 continiious with the anal. Pectorals of equal dimensions. Caudal 

 slightly rounded, equal to the length of the head. Scales ctenoid, 

 covering the entire head and extending up the fin rays. Lateral 

 line with a decided, though slight, curve above the pectoral fin, 



Eich olive brown, with a few indistinct darker blotches. White 

 beneath, tip of left ventral black. 



On the 13th of last month we received from Inspector Seymour 

 an Exocoetus taken in the neighbourhood of the harbour. It 

 belongs to the division in which the ventral fins extend beyond 

 the origin of the anal, and which is without the central barbel at 

 the symphisis of the lower jaw, and is closely allied to the 

 Exocmtus speculiger of Cuv. and Val., from which it difiers in 

 the point of origin of the anal fin. It difi"ers from nigricans, to 

 which also it is closely allied, in the position of the ventrals, 

 number of dorsal and anal rays, and pattern of coloration. The 

 example is a male, with the milt very slightly developed, and 

 measures 15 J inches. I propose to cal! this species melanocercus 

 in reference to the black caudal. 



