154 CATALOGUE OF I'JSH. 



liCiigih from the tip of the suout to the beginning of 



the dorsal 2-17 in. 



Length of the pectoral 0-39 „ 



Vertical fins equally developed, and of the same height. Pectoral 

 fins wider than long, and moderately short. All the rays branched 

 and articulated. Scales on the cheeks and over the gill-plates. 

 Rest of the head naked ; and furnished with mucoducts on the 

 crown of the head, round the eyes and scaly cheeks, and on the 

 borders of the occiput. Slender scaly slips between the rays of 

 the dorsal and anal fins. Black spots on the bead, and on the 

 anal, caudal, and dorsal fins. 



West and north coasts of Australia. Port Essington. 



Named by the aborigines Ambeetunheet. 



A specimen e.\ists in the Museum of Haslar Hospital. 



Genus y. OPHIDIUM, Linnwus. 



Anus terminating the proximal third or half of the body, which 

 is scaly. Two pairs of barbels on the mandible, attached to the 

 point of the lingual bone. A swim-bladder. 



Descr. Small, sword-shaped fish, with feebly-developed dorsal 

 and anal fins, which are supported by simple rays. The large 

 oviform and thick swim-bladder is supported by three bones, which 

 are suspended to the first pair of ribs ; the middle one being capable 

 of motion by its proper muscle. 



2. Ophidium BREviBAKBio, CuvU'r, t. 16, fig. 1. 



Ophidium brevibarbe, Cuv. Piegn. An. ii. 359. 



Diagn. On the point of the snout, a short decurved spine. 



Descr. Strong teeth, scaly occiput and gill-plate, and long, taper- 

 ing, pointed tail. Dorsal and anal fins bounded by a black marginal 

 line. 



Total length, 7-88 in., of which the tail constitutes 404 in. 



Brazils : perhaps the whole South American coast. 



The reniainiiuj species are destitute of the rostral spine, and have 

 fewer or no scales on the occiput and gill-covers ; they are also 

 shorter. 



3. Ophidium bkasiliense, Valenciennes, Par. Mus. 



Short barbels, that do not reach to the breast. Teeth stouter 

 than those of a harhatus of twice the size. The dorsal fin only is 

 bordered with black. 



Sent to the Museum by De Lalande. 



