226 DESCRIPTIONS OF NEW FISHES FROM PORT JACKSON, 



fiist of which corresponds to the second of the upper row. There 

 are also faint signs of an anal row. Opercles and under side of the 

 head suffused with pink. Anal with several narrow dark vertical 

 stripes, the intervening spaces speckled. Ventrals, pectoi-als, and 

 caudal spotted with brown, and tipped with orange ; the latter 

 with a black spot at the upper terminal angle. 



The above description is taken from a specimen, caught in Port 

 Jackson on the 11th of last April, and measuring 3/„ inches. 



Mr. Macleay (Cat. Aust. Fishes, Vol. II., p. 22), suggests the 

 advisability of forming a new genus for the reception of his 

 Cristiceps fasc'iatus, and certain other forms now placed indis- 

 criminately in Clinus or Cristiceps as the author's fancy may 

 dictate. With this suggestion I cordially agree, and propose 

 therefore to form the genus Petrdites for the reception of those 

 homeless fishes, which oscillate between the two genera mentioned. 



The genus would be thus characterized. 



Petraites. gen. no v. 



Branchiostegals six ; body compressed, covered with small scales : 

 Snout very short, cleft of the mouth small. A band of moderate 

 teeth on the jaws ; lower jaw with a strong curved canine at 

 either angle ; vomerine teeth present : palate edentulous. First 

 dorsal fin low, attached by a membrane to the second. Dorsal 

 slightly contiguous with the caudal. 



Type specimen in Australian Museum ; registered number B. 

 6699. 



Platycephalus macrodon. sp. nov. 



B. VII. D. 1/7/14. A. 14. V. 1/5. P. 8/14. L. lat. 73. 

 L. trans. 10/20 



Length of head 3 J, of caudal fin 7 J, height of body 8j°u in the 

 total length. Diameter of eye 5J in the length of head, 1;^ in 

 that of snout, which is narrow and but moderately depressed. 

 Interorbital space slightly concave, | of the diameter of eye. 

 Width of the head immediately in front of the eyes 2^, inside the 

 preopercular spines Ig in its length. Maxillary extends to below 



