57S DESCRIPTIONS OP NEW OU RAKE AUSTRALIAN FISHES, 



eye. Supra-orbital margin with a single minute anterior spine ;. 

 two slightly divergent smooth occipital ridges with offshoots 

 towards the central ridge ; outside of these is an almost obsolete 

 ridge, also smooth, which terminates at the origin of the lateral 

 line in a minute spine. Two parallel smooth ridges originate in a 

 pair of short pi-eorbital spines, and terminate in a pair of rather 

 divergent strong preopei'oular spines, the lower of which is a third 

 longer than the upper ; no visible opercular spines. An angular 

 crenulated subopercular flap, beneath the preopercular spines. 

 Anterior nostril with a simple tubular tentacle. Lower jaw the 

 longer. Maxilla with a broad band of villiform teeth in front, 

 gradually narrowing posteriorly ; an edentate patch at the 

 symphysis, bordered by larger teeth, the largest behind ; mandibles 

 with a lateral row of small curved teeth, and villiform patches in 

 front ; two small patches on the vomer ; a row on the palatines. 

 First dorsal spine so minute as hardly to be visible ; the second 

 the longest l^^o i^ the length of head ; soft dorsal highest anteriorly- 

 Ventrals long, reaching to the third anal ray, X^^ in the length of 

 the head. Anal commences opposite the soft dorsal. Caudal 

 truncate. Lateral line smooth. 



Colors. Light yellowish-brown above, white below. Spines 

 and rays of dorsals with chesnut bands, webs immaculate. Last 

 five webs of anal dark, remainder and rays white. Ventral and 

 pectoral rays banded. Ground color of caudal pure white, the 

 upper half with three or four oblique parallel brown bands, the 

 lower with two much broader black stripes. 



Sand Flathead of Sydney ; the specimen described is ten inches 

 in length and was trawled in Middle Harbour. 



Lepidotrigla pleuracanthica, Rich. 



B. VIL D. 9/13. A. 10. P. 11/3. V. 1/5. L. lat. 58. 

 L. trans. 5/11. 



Length of head 4 L, of caudal fin 5-^-, height of body 6/0 in the 

 total length. Diameter of eye '^ in length of head, and /o of that 

 of snout. Interorbital space deeply concave, | of the diameter of 

 eye. Nasal profile abrupt, slightly concave. Three strong and 



