APSTRAT.IAN (^OnilD.T: McCnr.[,OCII AND OfllMlV. 279 



Identity. — We retain the name (hirviniensis for tliis HpecioR because 

 we are nuable to satisfactorily identify it with any of tliose doHci'ibod from 

 the Kast Indian Arcdiipelago. It is very similar to O. porocr/thdltoi, witli 

 representative examples of whicli wo liave compared it, but the light 

 dorsal and candal spots olfer a striking contrast to the dark markings of 

 those fins in Cuvier and Valenciennes' species. 



We have examined the specimen recorded as 0. opliiocppliiihii^ by 

 Macleaj' from Rockiiigham Bay, and find it similai- in all details to liis 

 cotypes of (). dKrwiuieusii^. This loads ns to suppose that the specimens 

 recorded b}- Klnnzingei- nnder the same name from Port Denison and 

 Port Darwin, also belong to Macleay's species. 



This species is deemed a delicacy by the Chinese at Cooktown, 

 Queensland, where it is occasitmally secured in large quantities. The fish 

 retains its vitality for some hours after its removal from the water, which 

 is an important factor in its keeping qualities in a hot climate. 



Loeit. — Port Darwin, North Australia ; cotypes of the species. 

 Melville Island, North Australia ; Queensland Museum. Cooktown, 

 Queensland ; coll. McCulloch, June 1918. Rockingham Bay, Queensland ; 

 Macleay Museum, as Eleotris ophiocephalus. 



Opiiiocara macrolrpidota (Bloch), Ginither. 



Eleotris luacrolepidotiis, Giinther, Fisch. Siidsee, vi., 1877, p. 18G, pi. cxii., 

 fig. b. Id., Weber, Zool. Forschr. Austr., v., 1895, p. 270. Id., 

 Ogilby, Proc. Linn. Soc. N.S.Wales, xxi., 1897, p. 754. 



Eleotris tumifrons (Cuvier & Valenciennes), Ogilby, Ihid., p. 755. 



Giinther identified North Australian specimens as E. vuicrolepidotus, 

 while Weber recorded the species from the Burnett River, Queensland. 

 It is possible that both references are based upon examples of one of the 

 species described above. 



Genus Mogdrnda, Gill. 



Mogurnda, Gill, Proc. Acad. Nat. Sci. Philad., 1863, p. 270 (Eleotris 

 mognrnda, Richardson). Id., Bleeker, Arch. Neerl. Sci. Nat., ix., 

 1874, p. 303, and x , 1875, pp. 103, 105. 



Krefftius, Ogilby, Proc. Linn. Soc. N.S.Wales, xxi., 1897, p. 736 (Eleotris 

 australis, Krefft). Id., Waite, Rec. Aust. Mus., v., 1904, p. 281 — 

 part. 



Body rather robust, compressed, the head large and broad. Scales 

 rather large, mostly ctenoid on the body and cycloid on the head ; 30-40 

 between the pectoral and the hypural joint; the}' extend foi'ward on the 

 upper surface of the head to between the posterior nostrils, and cover the 

 cheek and operculum. Rows of minute pores extend around the eye, 

 across the cheek, behind the preoperculum and on each side of the 

 mandible. Mouth moderate, oblique, lower jaw projecting ; no barbies. 

 A band of villiform teeth in each jaw, palate toothless. Tcmgue broad, 



