184 RECORDS OF THE AUSTRALIAN MUSEUM. 



General form robust, depressed anteriorly, compressed 

 })o.sterioi'ly. Head large and tumid, entirely naked and 

 without raised glandular ridges ; chin without barbies. Top 

 of head flat, snout rounded, the interocular space much 

 greater than the eye diameter. Mouth rather lai'ge, a little 

 oblique, the maxillary I'eaching to below the middle of the 

 eye. Each jaw with three rows of small simple teeth, which 

 are fixed and subequal in size ; j)alate smooth. Tongue 

 rounded iu front, adnate to the floor of the mouth. Shoulder- 

 girdle without cutaneous flaps. Gill-openings wide, but with 

 a broad interspace between them. 



Scales mostly cycloid, finely ciliated behind the pectorals. 

 They are rather irregularly arranged, and are smallest 

 anteriorly, becoming larger on the caudal peduncle. The}'^ 

 extend forward to above the oj^erculum, leaving a naked 

 space on the nape backward to the first dorsal spine ; breast 

 naked, as is a space behind the pectorals and the bases 

 of the doi'sal and anal fins. Tliere are about thirty-six to 

 forty-six scales from behind the middle of the pectoral to 

 the caudal fin, and about thirteen or fourteen between the 

 soft dorsal and the anal. 



First dorsal commencing above the middle of the pectoral ; 

 its spines aie short, the fourth the longest, and much shorter 

 than the rays : third dorsal ray longest, the succeeding rays 

 decreasing slightly backwards. Anal commencing under 

 the third, and tei-minating beneath the last dorsal ray ; its 

 rays increase in lengtli to the second last. Ventrals small, 

 inserted in advance of the pectorals ; tliey are completely 

 united and have a bi'oad basal membrane. Pectorals rounded, 

 the median rays longest, without free silk-like rays ; their 

 bases are very broad. Caudal more or less rounded, the 

 lower x-ays sometimes worn shorter than the upper ones. 



Colour. — Light brown after long preservation in spirit, with 

 about six darker cross-bars on the back, which unite with 

 others on the sides, leaving whitish interspaces between them. 

 Head mottled with bi-own ; a dark bar on the cheek from 

 below the eye. Spinous dorsal dark brown, blackish pos- 

 teriorly, with a broad white intramarginal band ; soft dorsal 



