Occui^^encG of Certain Fish in Victorian Seas. 13 



twice that of head. Length of tail 1 ^ to If that of head 

 and trunk together. 



The actual measurements of four specimens are — 



Head.— Snout. Trunk. Tail— Tail-fin. Total Length. 

 a 9 7-5 7-5 28 75 3 121 mm. 



13 62 



Depth of trunk in males, one-fifth ; in females, one-fourth 

 of its length. Dorsal fin occupies about two body and six 

 tail-]-ings ; the egg pouch in the males extends over the 

 first 15 to 18 tail-rings. Ridges very distinct on snout, 

 rest of head, trunk, and tail. 



A median dorsal on the snout, forking, opposite the 

 middle of the eyes, into two low branches which join the 

 supra-orbital behind the eyes. Supra-orbital prominent, 

 converging in front of eyes to just reach the dorsal median 

 of the snout, and continuing behind, as the upper lateral 

 ridges of the head. Inter-orbital space concave ; median 

 ridge on crown of head extending, once interrupted, to 

 terminate opposite the insertion of the pectoral fins. Nuchal 

 lateral ridges continuous, with upper lateral edges of 

 trunk ; dorsal surface of neck much narrower than that of 

 head or trunk ; horizontal ridge across operculum ; lateral 

 ridges from tip of snout, diverging to the eye on either side. 

 In the males there is a marked tetrahedral prominence on 

 the ventral surface of the head, just behind the level of the 

 eyes, formed at the point of union of the median ventral 

 ridge of the snout, a transverse ridge along the origin of 

 operculum on either side, and the median ventral ridge of 

 the head, continuous with that of the trunk behind. This 

 projection is quite wanting in the females. 



Sides and back brown, with narrow, whitish, vertical 

 bands near the front border of several of the lateral plates ; 

 under surface lighter. Keel of ventral ridge of trunk, 

 black. Males darker. In some of the males, white spots 

 instead of bands : in some of females, rows of black spots 

 across operculum and on under surface of snout. Upper 



