262 RECORDS OF THE ADSTKALIAN BICSEDM. 



are nniserial and smaller laterally, and there is a canine on eacli side. 

 Palate toothless. Tongue rounded anteriorly. Gill-opening much wider 

 than the base of the pectoral, separated by a broad isthmus. Shoulder- 

 girdle smooth. 



Body compressed, the breadth between the pectorals !•! in the depth. 

 It is covered with small ctenoid scales, which extend forward to above 

 the end of the ope]'culum and to behind the ventrals, leaving the nape, 

 thorax, and pectoral bases naked. Genital papilla minute. 



First dorsal commencing behind the vertical of the pectorals ; the 

 third ray projects beyond the others, and is as long as the head without the 

 operculum. The dorsal rays are subequal in height, the last slightly 

 longer than the others, and reaching to the hypural joint. Anal of similar 

 form to the second dorsal, originating behind its second ray, and termin- 

 ating in advance of its last. Pectoral rounded, the median rays longest, 

 not quite reaching the vertical of the anterior dorsal ray. Ventrals 

 inserted in advance of the pectorals, their third rays longest, reaching a 

 little more than half their distance from the anterior anal ray. Caudal 

 pointed, the median rays O'l longer than the head. 



Colour. — Body generally light coloured, with four longitudinal stripes 

 and some very indefinite cross-bands ; the first stripe commences on the nape 

 behind the eyes, and extends along the back to the last dorsal ra}' ; the 

 second begins on the snout, and passing through the eye, is lost below the 

 posterior dorsal rays ; the third commences behind the upper lip and 

 extends to the caudal, and the fourth runs from behind the pectoral to the 

 caudal base. Snout and interorbital space with spots and bars. Cheek 

 and operculum with three horizontal, dark-edged stripes, two of which 

 extend onto the pectoral base ; no spots or occelli. First dorsal fin with 

 about seven undulous, dark-edged stripes and a large black spot behind 

 the third spine. Second dorsal with some indefinite stripes anteriorly. 

 Caudal with a broad greyish margin, and an oblique, dark-edged stripe 

 near the upper and lower bases. 



Described from a specimen 109 mm. long, from Dunk Island, North- 

 east Queensland, and collected by Mr. E. J. Banfield. Six others examined 

 have the same colour-marking, except that they lack all traces of cross-bars 

 on the body. 



Synoinpiiy. — Eleotris traJieatns, described by Richardson from a draw- 

 ing of a fish from Depuch Island, North-western Australia, is probably 

 synonymous with V.niiindis; the size of its scales, and the squamation 

 of the head as shown in the figure, are doubtless errors of the amateur 

 artist. The specimen identified by Alleyne and Macleay from Darnley 

 Island as E. li.neutd, Castelnau, is certainly V. viuralis, as are Macleay's 

 E. viuralis from the Endeavour River. Three paratypes of V. aruent^is 

 only differ from the specimen described above in having the cross-bars 

 better defined ; they appear to represent a variety of V. iiniritlis. 



Locs. — Dunk Island, North-eastern Queensland ; Austr. Mus. Darnley 

 Island, Torres Strait, and Endeavour River, Noitli-east Queensland ; 

 Macleay Mus. Aru Islands ; Qld. and Austr. Mus. Giinther has recorded 

 V. muralis from Cape York, and Klunzinger had specimens from Port 

 Darwin, while Eleotris traheatns came from North-western Ansti-alia. 



Hah. — Indian Seas to North Ansti'alia, Japan, and the western Pacific. 



