SliniES IN Ai:sTRAl,IAN KISHES — Mci.i;i,],orn. 05 



same luunboi" ilii't'ctly abovo i( ; al)()at S scales bet/Weeii the lateral line 

 and the back below the middle of the dorsal tin, not iucludiug those of 

 the «caly bheatli. 



Depth before the ventials 2"4 in the length from the snout to the 

 hypural joint; head 37 in the same. Eye 4 in the head, and l"o in the 

 iuterorbital s[)ace ; length of the snout and width of the interorbital space 

 equal, 3 in the liead. Last dorsal spine 2, third dorsal ray 1-5, and second 

 aual ray 12 in the head. Pectoral 109, and ventral 1"2 iu the head. 



Head largely naked ; there is a small patch of scales above the oper- 

 culum and ou the tempoi-al region, and a narrow series extends dowuAvard 

 behind the eye and expands over the cheek. The profile is convex and 

 the snout tumid; interorbital space convex. Eye much narrower than 

 the interorbital space, and but little broader than the preorbital bone. 

 Nostrils large, close together, with fimbriate edges, the anterior with a 

 dermal lobe. Maxilla extending back almost to below tlie anterior 

 orbital border, and completely hidden by the preorbital wlien the mouth 

 is closed ; jaws subequal. Cheek-scales minute and irregular; preoper- 

 cular edge smooth, with a broad naked border. Operculum Avith two flat 

 spines, the lower somewhat pointed, the upper rounded. Outer teeth of 

 each jaAv arranged iu a single row, with strongly tricuspid edges ; there are 

 about fourteen larger teeth in each jaw, and the upper row is continued 

 backward on the sides to the end of the premaxilla by some minute teeth : 

 the inner teeth of each jaw are minute, flattened, tricuspid, and an-anged 

 in a broad band. 



Body covered with ctenoid scales of moderate size, which extend 

 forward to, and end abruptly on the neck. They form sheaths at the 

 bases of the dorsal and aual tins, and extend up between the bases of the 

 spines and rays of all the tins except tlie ventrals. They are largest on 

 the sides and caudal peduncle, and smallest on the nuchal region, breast 

 and abdomen. Caudal peduncle as deep as long. 



First dorsal commencing directly behind the vertical of the opercular 

 lobe, its spinous portion about once and one-third as long as the soft. 

 The margin of the spinous portion is rounded, and the spines increase 

 rapidly in length to the fifth, after which they increase very slightly to 

 the last ; anterior dorsal rays distinctly higher than the spines, the third 

 longest ; margin of the soft dorsal I'onuded. Anal opposite, and as long 

 as the soft dorsal ; the third spine is longest and about half as long as the 

 anterior rays which are higlier than those of the dorsal ; the mai-gin is 

 rounded, its posterior portion subvertical. Pectorals I'ounded, the fifth 

 upper ray longest ; ventrals shorter than the pectorals, inserted well 

 behind them, and reaching about three-fourths of their distance from the 

 vent. Caudal subtruncate. 



Colour. — Uniform dark bluish-brown iu life, each scale with the middle 

 of a lighter bluish colour and a well defined bronze border; the veutnil 

 surface is a little lighter in coloui-, with bronze reflections. The fins ax'e 

 uniformly slaty-brown. In alcohol the fish becomes of an almost uniform 

 brown colour. 



Described and figured from a young example 21G mm. long, secured 

 at Maroubra near Sydney, by Mr. F. McNeill. 



