NEW OR RARE FISHES FROM EASTERN AUSTRALIA — WAITE. 269 

 POMADASIS HASTA, Bloch. 



Lutjanus hasta, Bloch., Ichtyol., vii , 1797, p. 87, pi. ccxlvi., 

 fig. 1. 



For Australia, this species was first recorded from Cape York 

 and the northern coasts. Of its occurrence on the east coast of 

 Queensland, Saville Kent writes :^° "The javelin fish, Pristipoma 

 hasta, which grows to a considerable size, and is much esteemed 

 for food, occurs plentifully northwards from Rockingham Bay, 

 and has been collected by the author .... as far west as Port 

 Darwin and the Cambridge Gulf. This fish is also known locally 

 as the 'Queensland Trumpeter,' with reference to the grunting 

 noise it makes on being taken from the water." 



A beautiful example, taken from the Richmond River, enables 

 me to add the species to the fauna of New South Wales. It was 

 sent to the Sydney Fish Market on July 17th last, and rescued 

 by one of the Inspectors of the Fisheries Department. It was 

 forwarded to the Museum for identification by Mr. J. A. Brodie, 

 Chief Inspector. 



Harpe vulpina, Richardson. 



(Plate xlii.) 

 Cossyphus vulpiniis, Rich., Proc. Zool. Soc, 1850, p. 287. 



This species appears to have been but once noticed since first 

 described. Castelnau" gave it a place in his list of Port Jackson 

 fishes; but Ogilby,^^ doubting the record, remarked: -'No proof 

 of its occurrence is adduced." The original of the species was a 

 dried skin from which the colour had faded. In his Catalogue, 

 Giinther^^ treated it as insufficiently described, though with his 

 usual care Richardson recorded all the features such a poor speci- 

 men presented. 



In June, 1887, as I learn from the Museum register, a specimen 

 then identified as Cossyphus vulpinus, and taken in Port Jackson, 

 was purchased by the Trustees. No description of the specimen 

 was published, and as the example was stufied, it is not now 

 suitable for the purpose ; I am, however, able to verify the 

 identification. 



We are indebted to the Fishery Commissioners for a recent 

 example; the fish was forwarded for identification, and afterwards 

 purchased for the National Collection. It was obtained in the 

 Sydney Fish Market, on July r7th, 1901, having been sent there 

 with a consignment of fish from the Richmond River. 



The type specimen was taken in King George's Sound ; I now 

 verify the Port Jackson locality, and add that of the Richmond 



10 Saville Kent— Great Barrier Eeef, 1893, p. 281. 



11 Castelnau— Proc. Linn. Soc. N.S.W.. iii., 1879, p. 354. 



12 Ogilby— Cat. Fish. N.S.W., 1886, p. 44. 



13 Giinther— Brit. Mus. Cat. Fish., iv., 1862, p. 102 (foot-note). 



