7. PSAMMOPEECA. 69 



7. PSAMMOPEECA. 

 Labrax, sp., Cur. i^- Val. ii. p. 83. 



rsammoperca, Hichardson, Vmj. Erebus 8f Terror, Fishes, p. IIC, and 

 Ichthjoloyy, p. 275. ' r j 



Seven branchiostegals. Teetli on the vomer and palatine bones 

 crowded, granular ; no canine teeth ; tongue .smooth. Two dorsals, 

 slightly contmuous, mo^dng in a scalv sheath ; the first with eight, 

 the anal with three spmus. Operculum with a small, pncoperculum 

 with a strong spine, the latter with an entii'e lower Umb. Scales 

 rather large. 



East Indian and Australian seas. 



1. Psammoperca waigiensis. 



Labrax waigiensis, Cur. ^- Val. ii. p. 83; lileckcr, Natuurk. Ti/ckchr. 



JSederl. Ind. n. p. 479 ; Lesson, Voi/. Coq. Zool. 237. 

 Psammoperca datnioides, Richardson, Voi/. Erebus & Terror Fishes 



p. 110. ^1. 57. f. 1, 2. ' ' M 

 waigiensis, Sleeker, I. c. v. p. 177. 



^•8|,i^- A.|. L.lat. 50-55. 



Height of body one-fourth of total length. Hinder edge of prie- 

 opercuhmi denticulated, a long spine at the angle. 

 Australia; Waigiou. 



a. Adult: stuifed. Australia. 



h. Half-grown : stufied. Victoria, Australia. Voyage of H.M.S. 



Herald, 

 c. Adult: slcin. Cliina. From Mr. Warwick's Collection. 



2. Psammoperca macroptera. 



Height of the body one-third of the total length ; prteorbital and 

 suborbital arch strongly serrated; hinder edge of prfeoperculum .ser- 

 rated, a triangular spine at the angle. 



a. Dried. Victoria, Australia. Voyage of H.M.S. Herald. 



The specimen upon which I found this new species show.s very 

 well the characters of the genus, and the peculiarities by which it 

 is chstmgiushed from the only other species hitherto known ; but the 

 scales are partly detached, or spoUed by fat. It is distinguished by 

 the great elevation of the body, by the high third dorsal spine, and 

 the long anal fin. 



Tlie length of the head is 4f in the total ; it is compressed, the 

 interspace l)etweeu tlie eyes being one-sixth only of the length of 

 the head, or rallier more than one-lialf the fhameler of eve The 

 snout equals in length that diameter, and is lateraUy covered bv tlio 



