270 RECORDS OF THE AUSTRALIAN MUSEUM. 



River. The fish is in splendid condition, and I take the oppor- 

 tunity of supplying the accompanying description and figure. 



D. xii. 10; A. iii. 11; Y. i. 5; P. 16; C. 12 + 4; L. lat. 34; 

 L. tr. 5 + 14. 



Length of head 3'1, height of body 3-0, length of caudal 4-2 

 in the total length (caudal excluded). The eye is 4-8 in the length 

 of the head ; the interorbital space is slightly convex, one-sixth 

 less than twice the diameter of the orbit ; the snout is not 

 pointed, its length scarcely twice the diameter of the same. 

 The nostrils are widely separated, the distance between them 

 being half the diameter of the eye ; the anterior opening is 

 minute, situate in a small smooth area, the posterior larger, neither 

 with raised margin. Upper profile of head a low curve, slightly 

 tumid between the posterior nostrils. Jaws equal, each with two 

 pairs of anterior canines ; the lateral teeth are similar, but much 

 smaller, four or five in each ramus of the upper and seven in the 

 lower jaw, within these is an osseous ridge bearing a number of 

 granular teeth; these ridges terminate anteriorly, each in a flattened 

 plate bearing granular teeth ; a canine tooth at the angle of the 

 upper jaw. Cleft of mouth horizontal, the maxilla is concealed 

 by the pre-orbital and extends to beneath the anterior margin of 

 the eye. 



The dorsal fin commences above the upper angle of the pectoral ; 

 the membrane extends beyond the spines and is thickened towards 

 the tip, the point of the spine piercing its front margin; the length 

 of the first spine equals the diameter of the eye ; the spines 

 regularly increase in length to the sixth, whence they are sub- 

 equal, the longest spine one-half longer than the first, and equal 

 to the first ray, which is less branched than the others ; the sixth 

 ray is the longest, one-half longer than the longest spine; the soft 

 dorsal is produced backwards. The base of the spinous is more 

 than twice the length of that of the rayed portion. The anal 

 commences beneath the penultimate dorsal spine, and terminates 

 slightly behind that fin ; the spines are much stronger than those 

 of the dorsal, and are similar in respect to the membrane ; the 

 third spine is the longest, to which the rays are equal, the last 

 two excepted, and twice the diameter of the eye ; the shape of 

 the tin is similar to that of the soft dorsal ; the ventral fin arises 

 beneath the lowest pectoral ray and reaches to the vent, its length 

 1 -5 in that of the head, the length of the spine equal to that of 

 the longest dorsal. Pectoral acute above and rounded below, 

 extending to beneath the twelfth scale of the lateral line, its 

 length 16 in that of the head. Caudal truncate, the height of 

 the peduncle 2 2 in that of the body. 



Scales. — Snout, preorbital, interorbital space, and chin, naked; 

 six rows of small scales on the cheek ; dorsal and anal fins with 



