378 RECORDS 01 IHE AUSTRALIAN' MUSEUM. 



? Lcibrichthys cuvieri, Castelnau, L. bleekeri, Castelnau, and L. 

 richardsonii, Castelnau (see below). 



A well graduated series of twenty-six specimens, 180-420 mm. 

 long, shows that the colour-markings of this species vary remark- 

 ably, the variations apparently depending on both age and sex. 



In small examples, 180-200 mm. long (PI. xix.) there is a dark 

 brown cross-bar, with rather indefinite edges, extending from 

 the spinous dorsal to behind the pectoral ; two or three darker 

 patches occur below the soft dorsal, and one or two oblique 

 bands are present on the hinder part of the body. Some brown 

 bauds radiate from the eye, while the lower parts of the head 

 bear several large light spots. Scales of the ventral surface 

 more or less silvery. Pectoral and ventral fins bright yellow, 

 the former with a dark basal bar; the other fins arc also 

 yellowish with rows of more or less numerous darker spots. 

 This form corresponds to the var. tigripinnis, Khmzinger, 



Iu a later stage, 240-370 mm. long, the posterior body-markings 

 become indefinite or are lost, leaving only the anterior band. 

 The vertical fins are still spotted as in the first form (the spots 

 are sometimes almost wanting), but the soft dorsal and anal 

 show signs of darkening as in the next form. 



In the largest specimens, up to 420 mm. long, two broad 

 darker bands cross the body, which are separated by a lighter 

 one. The chin and throat arc dark blue. The anterior dorsal. 

 ventral and pectoral tins are yellow, the pectoral with a striking 

 blackish base. The soft dorsal and anal tins are very dark, the 

 former with two light oblique bands through it. The caudal i.-> 

 dark basally, yellowish posteriorly. 1 have recently figured this 

 form as P. cyanogenys, Ramsay and Ogilby ; it also appears t<> 

 correspond to the variety fuscipimiis, Klunzinger and the larger 

 specimen described by Castelnau as /'. vestita. 



In all the specimens I have examined there is one row oi 



check scales above, and usually three, rarely two 01' four l>elow. 



The caudal is slightly rounded or truncate. The tapper pectoral 

 rays are longest and sometimes produced beyond the rounded 

 margin in old specimens. The bases of the dorsal and anal lins 

 are not scaly. 



//-//,. — /'. tet rictus is common in Tasmania and Victoria, and 

 extends northwards to aboui Porl Jackson, bul is rather rare in 

 New South Wales. 



