14. AUCHENOPTERUS. 275 



5. Cristiceps australis. 

 Cuv. <§- Val. xi. p. 402. pi. Sm. 



D.3|?g?. A.^-^. V.1/3. Vert. 15/31. 



The anterior dorsal commences above the posterior margin of the 

 orbit, and is much higher than the posterior ; both are widely sepa- 

 rated from each other. A simple tentacle above the orbit, and a 

 pair of bifurcate ones above the snout. 



Rivers of Tasmania. Swan River. Bvnoe. 



a-b. Half-grown. Bredged in from two to four fathoms, on sand. 



Gages Road, Swan River. Presented by the Earl of Derby, 

 e. Half-grown. Swan River ; the same locality. Presented by the 



Earl of Derby. 



d. Young. Australia. 



e. Young. Bjnoe. 



f. g, h-1. Adult and half-grown. 



14. AUCHENOPTERUS. 



Body moderately elongate, with the scales small or of moderate 

 size ; snout rather short, with the cleft of the mouth of moderate 

 w^dth. A band of small teeth in the jaws ; teeth on the vomer. 

 Two separate dorsals, composed of spines only : the anterior short, 

 fonned by three spines. Ventrals jugular, composed of three rays. 

 Head with tentacles ; gill-opening wide. 



Pacific coast of Central America. Mediterranean. 



1. Auchenopterus monophthalmus. 

 D. 3|27. A.^. Y. 3. L. lat. 38. 



A fimbriated superciliary tentacle ; a small one at the nostril and 

 on each side of the nape, both multifid. A black ocellus, edged with 

 white, on the posterior quarter of the dorsal fin. 



a-c. Pacific coast of Central America. Collected by Captain Dow ; 

 presented by Dr. P. L. Sclater, Seer. Zool. Soc. 



Bescnption. — This fish is very similar to Cristiceps argentatns in 

 general habit, but may readily be distinguished by the dorsal fin, 

 which is entii'ely composed of spines. Head and body oblong and 

 compressed ; the length of the former is one-fourth of the total, the 

 height of the latter one-sixth. The cleft of the mouth is of mode- 

 rate width, with the lower jaw slightly prominent, and \vith the 

 maxillary extending beyond the vertical from the centre of the orbit. 

 The teeth in the outer series are stronger than those in the narrow 

 band behind ; vomerine teeth apparently in a single series ; palatine 

 teeth none. The orbital tentacle is shorter than the eye, "with three 

 or four cilia ; the nasal and nuchal tentacles are still shorter. The 

 pectoral is nearly as long as the head, rounded, with the middle rays 



t2 



