272 RECORDS OF THE AUSTRALIAN MTJSETJM. 



D. vi. i. 12; A. i. 12; P. 21; V. i. 5; C. 13 + 6. 



Head large and broad, its length 3-6 in the total (exclusive of 

 the caudal); height of body 4"9, and length of tail 2-4 in the 

 same. The eye is set close to the upper profile, its diameter one- 

 fifth the length of the head, the inter-orbital space being one-sixth, 

 and the snout one-half of the same. The nostrils are rather close 

 together, the anterior in a low tube, the posterior one a simple 

 pore and situated twice as far from the eye as from the anterior 

 one. Profile of head parabolic, it is extremely declivous from 

 before the eye to the snout, almost horizontal from the same point 

 to the origin of the dorsal fin. Jaws equal, with protruding lips, 

 mouth horizontal, the maxilla extending to beneath the posterior 

 nostril. Teeth needle-like, in a double row in front, with canines 

 at intervals, becoming larger laterally, but not continued on to 

 the sides of the jaws; the dentition of the lower is stronger than 

 that of the upper jaw ; the upper teeth are separated from the 

 oral cavity by a broad deep transverse membrane ; a similar 

 but smaller membrane exists in the lower jaw. 



The dorsal fin commences immediately behind the insertion of 

 the pectoral; the first spine is a fifth longer than the diameter of 

 the eye ; the succeeding spines regularly increase in length to the 

 fifth, which is the longest and equal to the height of the body, all 

 are very weak and their extremities flexible. The membrane is 

 barely united to the base of the spine of the second dorsal ; this 

 spine is longer than the first of the anterior fin, but a little shorter 

 than the succeeding rays, which are subequal, and two-thirds the 

 height of the fifth spine ; the length of the base is not twice 

 that of the spinous portion, and its rays form a very acute angle 

 behind, which reaches slightly beyond the base of the caudal rays. 

 The anal commences beneath the first dorsal ray and terminates 

 evenly with that fin ; its rays are similar to those of the dorsal, 

 but are a little lower anteriorly and higher behind. The ventrals 

 arise almost from a common base, and are short, the fourth ray 

 being but 1'3 in that of the pectoral; they reach three-fourths 

 their length to the vent. Anal papilla small. The pectoral has 

 a broad muscular base, it is sublanceolate in shape, the central 

 rays being the longest, reaching to beneath the spine of the second 

 dorsal fin, and 1-4 in the length of the head. The caudal is evenly 

 acuminate, its length one-half longer than the head ; its central 

 rays are produced, being more than twice the length of the outer 

 ones ; the depth of the peduncle is 1"8 in that of the body. 



Scales. — Head entirely naked, the upper anterior body scales are 

 extremely small and incomplete; posteriorly and below the scales 

 are well defined and larger; there are about one hundred and forty 

 longitudinally and forty transversely; there is no lateral line. 



Colours. — The snout and anterior part of the head above are 

 grey, dotted with dark blue ; the cheeks and opercles green, 

 crossed by three horizontal blue lines — the uppermost (close 



