374 RECORDS OP THE AUSTRALIAN MUSEUM. 



Pseudolabkus fucicola, Richardson. 



(Plate xviii.). 



Labrus fucict >lit. Richardson, Proc. Zool. Soc, 1840, p. 26; 

 Trans. Zool, Soc, iii., 1849, p, 137, and Zool, Erebus and 

 Terror, 1848, p. 127, pi. liv., figs. 1-2. 



Labrichthys fucicola, GKintber, Brit. Mus. Cat. Fish., iv., 1862, 

 p. 112 footnote: /,/., Hutton, Trans. N.Z. Inst, v., 1873, 

 p. 265 ; Id., Macleay, Proc. Linn. Soc. N.S.Wales, vi., 1881, 

 p. 87; Id., Johnston, Proc. Roy. Soc. Tasm. 1882 (1883). 

 p. 124. 



Labrichthys bothryocosmus, Hutton, Cat. Fish. N. Zealand, 1872, 

 pi. vii., fig. 68 (non P. bothryocosmus, Richardson, fide 

 Hutton). 



Psevdolabrus fucicola, Gill, Mem. Nat. Acad. Sci. Washington, 

 vi., 1893,' p. 116. 



Pseudolabrus fuscicola, Waite, Ree. Cantb. Mus., i,, 1907, p. 22 



A single specimen of this species is in a collection received 

 from the National Museum, Melbourne. It is smaller than 

 Richardson's specimen, being only eleven-and-a-half inches long, 

 and has a more pointed head which is characteristic of the 

 younger fish, The pectoral fin, also, is somewhat pointed above 

 instead of being rounded, but otherwise it agrees very well with 

 Richardson's figure. 



Tin- life-colours have been described by both Hutton and 

 Johnston as purple with some irregular yellow spots on llie hack 

 and humeral region. This specimen has become greenish in 

 spirits with only traces of purple on the head and tins, but the 

 yellow markings are still traceable, as is a dark bar across the 

 base of the pectoral lin, and some others on the cheeks and 

 operculum, Their are five rows of scales on the cheeks, the 

 bases of the dorsal and anal tins are not scaly, and the caudal 

 lin is slight ly rounded. 



llnh. — The specimen was obtained off the east coast of Flinders 



Island, Pass Strait. The species is known from New Zealand 

 and Tasmania, ami possibly the southern coasts of Australia, 



