56 



usque exlensd ; squamis mediocriius ; lined lateralis 

 mediand recta, squamis majusculis tectd. 



Plate XXXIII., figs. 4—6, natural size. 



This Uranoscope differs widely from others of the genus 

 in aspect and several well marked characters. The for- 

 ward position of its vent, under the lower pectoral rays, 

 and at the beginning of the second quarter of the 

 length of the fish, is remarkable, and distinguishes it at 

 once from maculosus and Icevis, the other two Australian 

 Uranoscopes with one dorsal. It has a genital papilla like 

 the other species. The head is covered with smooth skin, 

 through v^'hich the form of the bones, similar to those of 

 mnciilattis, can be made out, but no granulations are visible. 

 The lips are finely fimbriated, and the teeth are villiforni. 



The eye-ball, which is not ciliated, is retractile, as is 

 usual in the genus. A row of pores traverses the lower 

 jaw and disk of the preojjerculum ; the operculum is tri- 

 angular and ciliated on its upper edge and round its point. 

 There is no scapular spine. The pelvic bones are each 

 terminated anteriorly by a spinous point which penetrates 

 the skin. The straight lateral line is traced in the middle 

 of the height on a series of scales larger than the others, 

 which are of moderate size, but much larger than those of 

 maculosus. There is no vestige of a spinous dorsal, and the 

 soft fin commences over the space between the sixth and 

 seventh anal rays. Its rays and those of the anal are 

 all jointed and unbranched. The membranes of the fins 

 generally are more delicate than in the other Uranoscopes, 

 and the rays, especially of the pectorals, have more slender 

 tips. The dorsal and anal terminate by a point of membrane 

 exactly at the base of the caudal, which is rounded at its 

 extremity. Pectoral large, and supported by rays which 

 are all forked except the upper one. No barbel on 

 the chin, nor any filament from within the lower jaw. 

 Length of the specimen 9^ inches. The original tints of 

 colour have perished in the spirits, but the dark markings 

 which remain may be ascertained by consulting the figure. 

 The caudal has a rather remarkable distribution of colour, 

 the upper and lower parts being black and the middle 

 third pale or whitish. 



Hab. Port Jackson. 



BovicTHYS VARiEGATDS. Richardsou. 



Radii:— B. 7; D. 8]— 18^/19; A. 13 re/ 14; C. 115; 

 P. lOetV. ; V. 1|5. 



Plate XXXIV., fig. 1—4, natural size. 



Except in a few particulars noted below, this fish an- 

 swers exactly to the description of Bovichthys diacanthus 

 in the ' Histoire des Poissons,' but it agrees less perfectly 

 with the figure in that work (pi. 244). In general form it 

 approaches nearer to Captain Carmichael's representation 

 of his CaUionymus diacaiif/ius (Lin. Trans, xii. p. 501, 

 pi. 26), which is considered to be the same species with 

 the Chili fish described in the ' Histoire des Poissons'. It 

 may indeed be merely a more perfect example of diacaii- 



thtis, or a variety, but as it differs a little in the numbers of 

 the rays,* and to all appearance, considerably in the mark- 

 ings, I have thought it expedient to figure and name it as 

 a new sjiecies. 



On reading over the description of diacanthus, with the 

 specimens of variegatus before me, the only discrepancies 

 I could detect were the following. The preoperculum did 

 not appear through the integuments to be either remarkably 

 large or cavernous, but a series of open ]jores runs round 

 its border. Its edge is even and not undulated. The pec- 

 toral overlaps the anal more than in the figures in the Lin- 

 nean Transactions or ' Histoire des Poissons,' the penulti- 

 mate anal ray is not so abruptly larger than the preceding 

 ones, and the pectorals and ventrals are more approxi- 

 mated. Five porous lines with short transverse branches 

 are disposed on the gill covers, temples, and scapular re- 

 gion of each side. They are probably what Carmichael 

 denominates " tortuous streaks." The lateral line is com- 

 posed of a series of raised, flat, triangular eminences, turned 

 alternately upwards and downwards. They appear to be 

 composed of soft integument, and there are no scales on 

 the body, but the skin is studded with microscopical pores 

 which give it a rough appearance, even to the naked eye, 

 yet are not perceptible to the finger. The markings will be 

 best understood from an examination of the figure, with 

 the explanation that after long maceration in spirits the 

 dark portions are blackish brown, and the lighter ones 

 dingy, little or no pure white being visible, except on the 

 throat. One specimen is eight inches long and another 

 five inches. 



Hab. Port Jackson. 



Centriscus humerosus. Richardson. 



Radii:— D. 6|— 17; A. 18 ; C.9|; P. 16; V. 1|5. 



Plate XXXIV., figs. 5, 6, natural size. 



We have seen only a dried specimen of this fish, which 

 differs from the common MediteiTanean species, chiefly in 

 its high and gibbous shoulder. It has eight radiated plates 

 en each side of the humeral apparatus which supports the 

 large dorsal spine, besides a mesial row of smaller ones ; 

 also three rows of plates on the thorax between the gill- 

 opening and ventrals, and some smaller plates between the 

 ventrals and anal fin. A radiated plate also exists above 

 the posterior half of the orbit. The scales are small. The 

 dorsal spine is stout, and has several acute curved teeth at 

 its base in front, and many serratures and denticulations 

 throughout its length on its posterior face. It is followed 

 by five short spines not connected by membrane ; the last 

 of these spines is at the base of the second dorsal, which 

 has an obliquely conical outline. The anal is less high, 

 but has a longer base than the dorsal. 



The height of the shoulder is contained twice and one 

 half in the total length, and the thickness there is one- 

 sixth of the height. The length of the head and snout ex- 



* Bovichthys diacanthus, D. 8! — 20 ; A. 14 {Hist, des Poissons). Cal- 

 lionymus diacanthus, D. 81 — 20 ; A. 16. (Carmich.) 



