55 



head 5 times. Dorsal fin uotclied ; the sixth, seventh, and 

 eighth are the longest, higher than the longest, of soft 

 dorsal, and about one-fourth the depth of body. The first 

 soft dorsal is situated in a line vertically drawn through the 

 anus ; the third anal spine longer than the thickish second, 

 and about half the length of the longest dorsal spines. 

 Pectoral rays more or less covered with linear oblong scales ; 

 simple rays of pectoral 5 feeble, all shorter than the 

 immediately superior branched rays. Body scales moderately 

 large anteriorly, decreasing in size towards taiL Caudal 

 forked. Uniformly blackish grey, with a deeper shade along the 

 back. Named in honour of the memory of the late Morton 

 Allport, Esq. 



This interesting fish was obtained by Mr. Webb from one 

 of the Derwent fishermen. Mr. Webb states that he has 

 occasionally caught the fish while " trumpeter " fishing, at 

 certain seasons of the year, towards the mouth of the estuary 

 of the Derwent. It is known to fishermen as " The Keal 

 Bastard Trumpeter," and vies with the latter in delicacy of 

 flavour. The only fish allied to this species seems to be 

 31. Ihieatum, Gay, from the coast of Chili. It is interesting 

 to know that the only other species of the genus is to be 

 found on the coast of Tasmania. I have included the Tas- 

 manian species within the genus Mendosoma, of Gray, not- 

 withstanding that the spinous dorsal has one more sj^ine 

 than the first described species. It is true that Dr. Gunther 

 considers the number of dorsal spines to be of generic value, 

 and within certain limits no doubt this is correct, but the 

 allied genera, Latris Chilodactylits and Nemadactijlus, show 

 within a certain limit a wonderful variability in the number 

 of dorsal spines in individuals of undoubtedly the same 

 species. In snch cases it would be absurd to base the 

 generic standard too rigidly upon a character so variable. 



The total length 



Length of head 



Length of snout 



Diameter of eye (horizontal) 



Greatest depth of body 



Least depth at tail peduncle 



Largest cycloid scale near shoulder ... 



Longest pectoral ray ... 



Length first dorsal spine 



„ of sixth, seventh, and eighth do. 



„ of twenty- third do 



