BY J. DOUGLAS OGILBY. 421 



quadricuspid on its inner margin, along either side of its dorsal 

 surface ; below with a strong, transverse, basal plate, provided 

 with two stout, sharp cusps directed forwards. Two well 

 developed dorsal tins separated by a moderate interspace, inserted 

 on the posterior third of the body, the second entirely disconnected 

 with the caudal and not much larger than the first; caudal fin 

 moderate, continued around the extremity of the tail by a low 

 rayed membrane. Tail short; the vent situated below or nearly 

 below the origin of the second dorsal fin. Head and body with- 

 out conspicuous series of pores. 



Etymology : — Unknown. 



Type : — Geotria anstralis, Gray. 



Distribution : — Coasts and rivers of Southern Australia, 

 Tasmania, and New Zealand; Chile and the Argentine Republic. 



Dr. Griinther, in the course of some remarks on Geotria ans- 

 tralis, writes thus : — 



" Philippi (Wiegm. Arch. 1857, j). 266)* has described a 

 Lamprey from Chile under the name Velasia chile asis; the 

 example was provided with the sac at the throat and the descrip- 

 tion agrees with Geotria anstralis; so that we must assume either 

 that this latter species occurs not onl}' in Australia but also in 

 Chile, or that Velasia chilensls at a certain stage of development 

 is provided with a gular sac. If the latter be the case the 

 specific distinction of the two species would be questionable " 

 {Catal. Fi-<h. viii. j?. 509). 



From the aboA^e quotation it is evident that some species of 

 Lamprey provided with a gular sac inhabits the rivers of Chile, 

 and if I am correct in attributing that character to Geotria alone, 

 it follows that the genus is represented there; but I cannot agree 

 with Dr. Giinther that the species is necessarily identical with G. 

 anstralis, and much less that the latter species is indistinguishable 

 from Velasia chilensis. 



* I am uuable to refer to a copy of this publication. 



