106 EDIBLE PISHES OF NEW SOUTH WALES. 



space slightly concave, from 1*10-1'33 in the diameter of the eye. Nostrils 

 smallj rounded, separated by a moderate interspace, the anterior pierced in 

 the summit of a low tube. Upper surface of head flat. Lower jaw the 

 longer. The maxilla extends to below the middle of the orbit. Preorbitalwith 

 two short, stout, blunt spines, directed forwards, at its antero-inferior angle, 

 from the bases of which rise two prominent parallel ridges, which terminate 

 at the preopercular spines, and the upper of which bears a very minute 

 spinous point at the anterior angle of the preopercle : no turbiual spines : a 

 broad low ridge, ceasing between the eyes, behind the turbiual bones : a 

 minute spine at the antero-superior margin of the orbit : a pair of convergent 

 ridges from above the eyes terminate on the anterior pai't of the occiput in 

 a minute point : five other short occipital ridges, the anterior pair pi'ofusely 

 branched, the posterior pair ending in a minute spine: a temporal ridge 

 from the postero-superior margin of the orbit to the origin of the lateral 

 line, bearing several minute points, and a short strong terminal spine : 

 opercle with a single weak spine : preopercular spines slightly divergent, 

 the lower a little longer than the upper, and two thirds of the diameter of 

 the eye : a skinny flap, not quite equal in length to the interorbital space 

 and ending in an acute point, on the subopercle. Maxilla with a broad band 

 of villiform teeth and a short strong canine at the inner angle of the 

 symphysis on either ramus, and several pairs of similar but much smaller 

 teeth in front of and outside it; mandible with a narrow band of villiform 

 teeth in front, and an inner row of short sharp teeth continued back as far 

 as the maxillary bands ; two small patches of villiform teeth on the vomer, 

 connected mesially by a single series, and terminating on either side in three 

 strong conical teeth, the median one being much the longest; a single series 

 of small, stout, conical, acute teeth on the palatines, extending backwards to 

 behind the angle of the mouth. Two partially isolated spines in front of 

 the spinous dorsal, the first Yerj minute and about as long as the last spine ; 

 the second strong, 5'50 in the length of the succeeding spine, which is the 

 longest, from 2'00-215 in the length of the head, and rather more than the 

 distance between the tip of the lower jaw and the posterior margin of the 

 eye ; the remaining dorsal spines flexible ; a short, stout, isolated spine in 

 front of the second dorsal ; anterior dorsal ray the longest and unbranched, 

 not quite so long as the longest spine ; the distance betw^een its base and the 

 origin of the caudal 1'25 in that between the same point and the tip of the 

 snout : the anal commences opposite to the origin of the soft dorsal, and 

 reaches some distance further back than that fin ; the posterior rays, except 

 the last, are the longest, but uot nearly so long as the anterior rays of the 

 dorsal : the fourth ventral ray is the longest, reaching to the second or 

 third anal ray, its length from 1"33-1"5() in that of the head : pectoral rather 

 short and rounded, reaching to the vertical from the fourth flexible dorsal 

 spine, its length from 2 00-2'30 in that of the head ; the lower five, six, or 

 seven rays equal : caudal gently rounded, the height of the pedicle at the 

 base of the last anal ray two thirds of its width at the same spot. Lateral 

 line smooth ; fourteen series of scales between it and the first dorsal ray, 

 and one hundred and thirty series above it. 



Colors. — Rich brown above and on the upper half of the sides, the head 

 lighter with numerous reddish-brown spots ; sides of head and subopercular 

 flap spotted with pale olive green; lower half of sides pale greenish-yellow 

 with indistinct blotches of olive green ; white below : first dorsal with a 

 series of small chestnut spots in front of each spine ; second with the spots 

 crossing the rays, forming interrupted bands ; upper third of caudal similar 

 to the dorsals, but with much larger spots ; the remainder dark bluish-gray, 



