140 RECORDS OF THE AUSTRALIAN MUSEUM. 



Bod}' elongate and strongly compressed. Upper profile of the bead 

 forming an oblique line from tbe snout to the origin of tbe dorsal fin. 

 Premaxillarv symphysis pointed, tbe mandible projecting well beyond it ; 

 interorbital space flat. Maxilla reaching a little beyond the vertical of 

 the anterior ocular margin ; its hinder margin is rounded, and there is an 

 oblique groove behind it. Nostrils widely separated, situated in a shallow 

 depression on the side of the snout. Preopercular boi'der membranous, 

 only the rounded angle aud the lower edge free. Opercular bones thin 

 and unarmed ; a deep incision in the opercular edge is covered with 

 membrane. 



Each premaxillarj' with a single row of compressed teeth which are 

 smallest anteiiorlj- ; mandibles with similar but larger and widel}' spaced 

 teeth. Three lai'ge compressed teeth at the symphysis of the upper jaw, 

 and one very small tooth on each side of the vomer ; a row of small teeth 

 on each palatine. 



Entire body covered with small and very thin cycloid scales which 

 are very deciduous. They are also present on the head, commencing 

 above and between the nostrils, and extending to the edges of all tlie 

 opercles. Minute scales are also present on the maxilla, but the snout 

 and mandible are naked. Indications of minute scales remain on the 

 anterior rays and base of the soft dorsal, and on tlie greater part of the 

 caudal fin. Lateral line commencing above the operculum, and running 

 parallel with the back to below the fifteenth dorsal spine ; thence it 

 curves sharply downward to the middle of the body, along which it makes 

 a sinuous course to the hypural joint. 



Dorsal fin originating a little before the vertical of the o{)ercular 

 edge; the spines increase slightly in length to the fifth, after which they 

 decrease regular]}' to the last; a short interspace separates the spinous 

 and soft dorsals. Third dorsal ray but little shorter tlian the fifth spine, 

 and not quite leaching the base of the last when adpj'essed. Anal fin 

 originating a little behind the vertical of the first dorsal lay ; its third ray 

 is as long as that of the dorsal, and is equal to the basal length of the 

 fin. Pectoral pointed, the third upper ray longest. Ventral small, 

 inserted well behind the base of the pectoral ; the last ray is united with 

 the abdomen by membrane. Caudal deepl}' forked. 



Cohnir. — Steel blue on the back, brilliant silver on (lie sides and 

 lower surface. Membrane of spinous doisal largely black, the s{>ines and 

 basal parts white. Soft dorsal and ])ectoral margins blackish. Eye pale 

 golden. 



Desciibed and figured from a specimen 450 mm. long to the end of 

 the middle caudal rays, which was captured near Sydney, and piesenfed 

 to the Australian Museum by Mr. A. W. Wood, officer in charge of the 

 Fisheries Branch, Cliief Secretary's Department. 



Varitttioii. — A small example, 17fi mm. long to the end of the middle 

 caudal rays, is very similar to the specimen described, differing only in 

 some of its proportions. The depth is 8"1 in the length to the hj'pujal 

 joint, and the head is 37 in the same. The eye is 5"5 in the head, and 

 is widei- than the interorbital space. It has six dorsal finlets, which 

 number is more usual than five as desci'ibed above. 



