38 RECORDS OF THE AUSTRALIAN MUSEUM. 



situated in the hinder half of the head, in the whole length of 

 which its diameter is contained 5 5 times. The snout is noticeably 

 produced, its length being slightly more than half that of the 

 head ; the posterior nostril is a vertical slit, close to the anterior 

 margin of tlie eye; the anterior one is a small round pore, rather 

 nearer to the end of the snout than the eye ; the interorbital 

 space, which is rather fiat above, but declivous above the eyes, is 

 one-fourth the length of the head. The length of the maxilla is 

 twice, and its greatest width equal to, the diameter of the eye; 

 the lips are very fleshy. 



The barbels are thick for their proximal third, are contained 

 1'6 times in the length of the head, and extend barely to the 

 angle of the preopercle. Opercle with a rather strong flat spine. 

 Gill-rakers slender, sixteen on the lower limb of the first arch; the 

 longest equal to half the diameter of the eye. The small conical 

 teeth are arranged in a single series in each jaw ; the palatines and 

 vomer are edentulous. 



The upper edge of the snout is straight ; the profile is rounded 

 from above the eye to the first dorsal spine, which marks the 

 highest point of the body. 



The first dorsal spine is very short, the third and fourth are 

 equal and longest, one-half the length of the head. The second 

 dorsal fin is little more than half the height of the first ; it has a 

 somewhat more forward position than the anal. The first anal 

 spine is very small, and being applied closely to the second, may 

 easily be overlooked. The pectoral is equal to the ventral in 

 length, or 1 4 in that of the head ; the spine of the latter fin is 

 very broad, and the first ray reaches two-thirds of the distance of 

 its origin from that of the first anal spine. Caudal deeply forked ; 

 the lobes equal, pointed, five-eighths the length of the head ; the 

 least height of the peduncle 3"4 in the same. 



Scales large, those on the anterior part of the snout not distinct, 

 between the^se and those of the cheek is a naked space. Cheek 

 scales very irregular, with more or less jagged margins. The 

 anterior scales of the lateral line with branched tubules, those 

 of the posterior scales simple; three series of scales between the 

 dorsal fins ; a long pointed scale in the axilla. 



Colours.- — General colour red, the upper part of the snout brown, 

 with a darker streak occupying the naked space between the eye 

 and the mouth. Some bright red spots on the area between the 

 eye and the first dorsal. On the lateral line, below the intradorsal 

 space, is a deep black blotch, occupying four or five scales and the 

 corresponding portions of the row above and below; beneath the 

 second dorsal is a faint pink blotch, embracing the 15-18 scales 

 of the lateral line, and the adjoining scales of the row above. 

 The second dorsal fin is set in a large median black blotch, which 

 extends its whole length and includes the first row of scales on 



