268 NEW FISHES FROM THE UPPER MURRUMBIDGEE, 



larger proportionally than in Oligorus Macquariensis, there seems 

 also to be a cllfFerence in the character of the speckled marking, 

 which in this species seems to be formed of short angular linear or 

 semi-circular sspots. 



One specimen, nearly 8 inches long, is all I have ever seen or 

 heard of, of this very extraordinary looking Fish. It was 

 captured in the Murrumbidgee River in the neighbourhood of 

 Yass. The most striking feature is the head, but its elongate 

 form and straight back also show a marked difference from the 

 other species of the genus. 



MURRAYIA JeNKINSI. n. sp. 



D. 11/12. A. 3/8. L. lat. about 50. 



Of compi-esised form ; the height of the body one fourth of the 

 total length. The profile descends in a regular slope from the 1st 

 dorsal spine to the snout, which is rounded and tumid ; the mouth 

 is small ; the eyes rather large and about two of their diameters 

 apart. The head is, with the exception of small scales on the 

 cheek and operculum, entirely naked, and covered with large 

 rounded pits, similar pits extend in a double row on the lower 

 limb of the preoperculum, and to a more limited extent on the 

 posterior limb ; the maxillary scarcely reaches to the vertical from 

 the anterior margin of the eye. The preoperculum is straight 

 behind and densely serrated, the serrations become a little longer 

 at the angle, and larger and more distant on the lower edge. The 

 operculum has the lower spine which is the largest of the two, 

 bifid, the upper hranch the shortest, the other spine is broad and 

 flat, the lower edge of the operculum is finely and densely seri^ated ; 

 the caracoid and scapular are also serrated. The dorsal spines are 

 strong, the fifth is the largest ; the anal spines are also strong, 

 the second strongest and slightly longer than the third. The first ray 

 of the pectoral fin is elongate. The lateral line is almost straight, 

 the scales of moderate size. 



It is difiicult to guess even at what the coloration has been, as in 

 addition to the fish having been long in spirits, most of the scales 



