27. PLFXTROrOlI A . Kil 



and three or four small spinous teeth below. Caudalis rounded. Olive, 

 marbled with blackish ; black spots on the sides of the head and on 

 t)ie snout. 



King George's Sound. 



II. Adult: stuffed. King George's Sound. 



10. Plectropoma cyanostigma. (Plate XII.) 

 D. i^. A. |. L. lat. 100. 



Pra^operculum with tliree spines beneath, the anterior of which is 

 the strongest. CaiulaUs rounded ; the second anal spine longest, 

 curved. Bro^^^lish (in a dried state) ; head and body covered with 

 round blackisli spots, blue in the centre, and each covering about 

 six scales. 



Australian Seas. 



a, h. Adult : skins. Australia. Voyage of H.M.S. Fly. 



c, d. Adult : skins. Australia. Purchased of Mr. Warwick. 



e. Adult. Poi't Jackson. Purchased of Mr. Gould. 



/. Adult : skin. New Holland. From Mr. Gould's CoUection. 



Description. — Body oblong ; its height is comprised foiu* times in 

 the total length, the length of the head 3|. The head above is 

 covered with scales to the nostrils, — the whole snout, the prseorbital, 

 the maxillaiy, and mandibulary being naked. The eye forms one- 

 sixth of the length of the head, and is situated above, at the side, 

 interfering with the outline of the crown. The distance between the 

 eyes is one-third smaller than their diameter ; the praeorbital broad — 

 as broad as the diameter of the eye is long. The upper maxiUary 

 does not reach to the vertical from the centre of the eye. The 

 praeoperculum has a rounded angle; the denticulations along the 

 posterior limb are coarse and distant from one another, becoming 

 gradually larger at the angle. The anterior spine of the lower limb 

 is at least tv\ace as long as the posterior, which is situated veiy near 

 the angle. The sub- and interoperculum are entire. The oper- 

 culum is provided ^vith three spines, the upper of which is broadest, 

 and distant fi'om the middle ; the latter is rather slender and project- 

 ing ; the third is immediately beneath. 



Both the portions of the dorsal fin are nearly equal in height, and 

 have a rounded upper margin ; the spinous portion is 1^ as long as the 

 soft ; the iii'st spine is rather more than hall' the length of the second ; 

 the fourth, fifth, and sixth are longest ; the others gradually become 

 shorter, the twelfth being rather shorter than the second ; the 

 thirteenth apparently belongs to the soft portion, being, again, a little 

 longer ; the fii-st ray is one-thu'd longer than the last spine. The 

 caiulalis is rounded. Tlie soft portion of the analis is roimded, and 

 rather higher than the dorsal ; the spines are very strong, especially 

 the second, which is slightly ciuwed, and not much shorter than the 

 longest of the dorsal fin. '£)ie pectorcdis is rounded, longer than the 

 ventral, and extends to the vent ; it is composed of eighteen rays. 



M 



