19(> RECORDS OF THE AUSTRALIAN MUSEUM. 



somewhat produced, so that the margin becomes excavate as in the 

 specimen figured. The following table illusti-ates the variation of seven 

 examples selected from the above series. 



Habits. — The habits of F. koelrenteri have been observed by one of us 

 (McCulloch) at several localities in Queensland. They move freely about 

 on the mud, when the tide is out, in search of small crustaceans and 

 insects, upon which they feed. When alarmed they skip rapidly away by 

 means of their powerful pectoral, ventral and caudal tins, and retreat into 

 a crab-burrow or some other crevice. At Cooktown, they were abundant 

 around a narrow stream, a few yards in width, which enters Finche Bay ; 

 although many were driven towai^ds the water, it was observed that none 

 entered it, but skipped over its surface in a series of short quick leaps to 

 the other side. 



At Port Curtis, it was noted that the rapid jumping movements 

 usually seen when they are on land are only adopted as a means of escape. 

 When undisturbed, they move in stages of two or three inches by raising 

 the fore-part of the body on the pectorals, levering themselves forward ; 

 at the same time the ventrals are moved forward so that they act alter- 

 nately with the pectorals, each fin of either pair moving in unison with 

 its fellow. After each interv^al of walking, the fish looks arouml for prey 

 by means of its elevated eyes, which are occasionally turned down into 

 their sockets, apparently to moisten them. The agility of these little 

 fishes on the mud is so great that it is difficult to secure specimens without 

 injuring them, and series could only be secured for study with a large 

 cloth, which was spread over the mud, and suddenly lifted by strings 

 Avhen the fishes hopped over it. They are astonishingly fearless, and if 

 driven from their feeding grounds, soon return, approaching to within a 

 few inches of one if no movement alarms tliem. 



These fishes are very vicious towards one anotlier, and the smaller 

 examples were noticed to retreat before the approach of their larger 

 fellows. From the fact that small ci'abs scurry into their burrows at tlie 

 approach of a Peri<i}ihtliahiii(s, it would seem that they largely supply it 

 with food, and one fish was observed to spring a distance of about six 

 inches at a crab, which it secured and munched with evident relish. 



At Kpi, in the New Hebrides, numbers of ren'ophtIi(dnin!i were 

 observed basking together in the hot sun on top of smooth basaltic rocks, 

 about five feet above the level of the sea. It was also noted that specimens 

 placed in glass jars could climb the smooth surface of the glass with ease, 

 although their ventrals are not united into sucking discs as in the gobies. 



