STI'DIES IN AI'Sl'RAf.IAN FISHES McCDLLOCH. 141 



Diftn'biifio)!. — 7'. iitioi was originally described from Soutli Africa, 

 and is also recorded from Soutli America. It is plentiful in New Zealand, 

 Tasmania, and Victoria, and ranges northward on the coast of New South 

 "Wales to beyond Port Jackson. It also occurs in South Australia, but 

 has not yet been recorded from the West. 



Family OGCOCEPHALID^. 



Genus Halirutaea, Cuvier Sc Vale7icieii)ies. 



Halieutaea brevicauda, Ogilhi/. 



Halietitaea brevicauda, Ogilby, New Fish. Qld. Coast, 1911, p. 13ti. /'/., 

 McCnlloch, Biol. Res. Endeavour, ii. 3, 1914, p. 163, pi. xxxiii. 



Variation. — Three specimens 111, 133, and 147 mm. long differ from 

 the holotype of the species, which is only 106 mm. long, in several 

 details. Though the larger spines on the back and lateral margins are 

 similarlj" arranged in all, tlie smaller s{)ines are rather less numerous 

 than in the holotype, and are almost wanting in the median sized 

 specimen. The microscopic spinules covering the ventral surface are not 

 very evident in the smallest specimen, but they are easily detected 

 everywhere in the largest example. Two specimens agree with the 

 hoh)type in having only four dorsal rays, but the other has five. The 

 pectorals of the holotype have each a darker cross-band which is I'eplaced 

 by a broad marginal band in one specimen and is wanting in the others ; 

 the posterior portion of the caudal fin is dark grey ; tlie back is ornamented 

 with gieyish-brown dots whicli form two irregular, but symmetrically 

 placed, elongate rings, one of which extends down each side of the back 

 and the other from the eye to the base of the pectoral. 



These tluee specimens are so very similar, however, that I regard 

 the above differences as mere individual variations. 



Localifie-'i. — Off Cape Moreton, Queensland; 73 fathoms. Holotype. 



Off Wata Mooli, New South Wales ; 68 fathoms. 



Off Bay of Fires, Tasmania ; 45 fathoms. 



Family DIODONTID^. 



Genus Al,LOMYCTERUS, i/eii . HOV. 



Near Dicotylicldlnjs, having a bifid nasal tentacle without openings, 

 but all the spines are three-rooted and fixed. The greater part of the 

 forehead is naked, and the dorsal and anal fins have each about sixteen 

 rays. The bifid nasal tentacle and increased number of dorsal and anal 

 rays distinguishes this genus from Chilomycierus. 



Type. — Diodon jacjili ferns, Cuvier. 



Allomyctekus .lACUUFERns, Cuvier. 

 (Plate xxxiii., fig. 2). 



Diodon jacnliferus, Cuvier, Mem. Mus. Hist. Nat., iv., 1818, p. 130, 

 pi. vii. Id., Kaup, Arch. Naturg., xxi. i., 1855, p. 229. 



Cliiloniyctervii jaculifervs, Gilnther, Biit. Mus. Cat. Fish., viii., 1870, p. 

 313. Z-7.,'Hutton, Cat. Fish. N.Zeal., 1872, p. 73, and Trans. N.Zeal. 

 Inst., v., 1873, p. 271. Id., Castelnau, Proc. Zool. Soc. Vict., i., 

 1872, p. 211. 7(/., Macleay, Proc. Linn. Soc. N.S.Wales, vi., 1881, 



