27. PLECTROPOMA. 163 



twice as high as the preceding lowest part of the si)inous dorsal, and 

 has an entirely rounded upper margin. The ccmdaJis is rounded. 

 The soft part of the analis is partly enveloped by a thick encroach- 

 ment of the scaly integument, and fomis an oblong flap ^Ndth a rounded 

 inferior edge ; the second spine is exceedingly thick, and even longer 

 than the longest dorsal spine, also somewhat curved ; the tliird spine 

 is not quite twice the size of the second. The pectoralis extends 

 rather farther than the ventral, to the third cross-band ; it is com- 

 posed of eighteen rays, rounded, and enveloped in a thick mem- 

 brane. The ventralis, rather short, does not extend to the vent ; 

 it is rounded, with a thick membrane between the rays, and has a 

 spine half the length of the fin. 



There are three pairs of canines in each jaw, of rather small size ; 

 the vomerine and palatine teeth stand in very narrow series. 



The groimd- colour is a reddish brown, darker on the back. The 

 dark-brown cross-bands and the interspaces of the ground-colour 

 are nearly of the same breadth ; the fii'st passes from in front of the 

 dorsal to the giU-opening al)ove tlie operculum ; the second from the 

 interspace between the fourth and sixth dorsal spines vertically to the 

 belly ; the third from the twelfth to the fourteenth ; the fourth from 

 the middle of the soft dorsal fin to the middle of the anal ; the fifth 

 from the end of the dorsal round the tail ; the sixth, narrow and 

 indistinct, round the root of the caudal. The second to the fifth bands 

 extend also more or less on the fins. On the side of the head a 

 dark-bro'wn streak nins from the back edge of the eye to the supra- 

 scapida, and a second oblique one from beneath the eye to the angle 

 of the pi"aeoperculum ; a brown streak behind the maxillary. The 

 opercles and soft fins are indistinctly dotted Avith brown. All the 

 fins, except the spinous dorsal, have a blackish-brown white-edged 

 margin. 



Length of the specimen 10". 



12. Plectropoma serratum. 



Cuv. (§• Val. ii. p. 399; Qiwi/ S,- Gaim. Voi/. Astrol. Poiss. p. 6(12. pi. 2. 

 f. 1 ; Dumnnt (TUrville, Voy. a» Pole Slid, Poiss. pi. 3. f. 1. 



]). if. A. |. Csec. pylor. 8. 



Praeoperculum strongly serrated beliind, and with two large spinous 

 teeth below, the anterior of which is the strongest. Caudalis trun- 

 cated. Brown : an oblique blackish band from the eye to the angle 

 of the praeoperculum, and some black spots on the sides of the body. 



King George's Sound. 



13. Plectropoma aculeatum. 



Chv. Sf Vnl vi. p. 523. 



Posterior limb of the prreoperculum ^ith coarse denticulations, 

 gradually becoming larger towards the angle, the horizontal Umb 



M 2 



