112 EDIBLE PISHES OF NEW SOUTH WALES. 



diameter of tlie eye. Nostrils separated by a short interspace, the anterior 

 minute and rounded, the posterior of moderate size, elongate-oval, and 

 oblique, very much nearer to the orbit than to the extremity of the pre- 

 orbital spine. Occiput flat. Upper jaw the longer. Cleft of mouth 

 moderate, and slightly oblique, the maxilla reaching to the anterior margin 

 or as far as the first third of the eye. Preorbital granulose, its anterior 

 extremity produced into a strong, longitudinally striated, spine : armature of 

 snout densely granulose, without radiating striae : supraorbital ridge simple : 

 the naked patch on the snout subovate in shape, and extending backwards 

 to between the anterior nostrils ; the sulcus between the preorbital and 

 turbinal bones, very narrow, much broader beneath the occipital bones : 

 armature of the cheeks granulate, and ornamented with stride which radiate 

 from the hinder apex of the preorbital : preopercular strife radiating from 

 the base of the spine : preopercle with from one to three spines at the angle, 

 the upper being always present : no distinct ridge between the j)reorbital 

 and the angle of the preopercle: posterior margin of interopercle rounded: 

 opercle with a broad, naked margin, the bony part coarsely granulated 

 anteriorly, finely so posteriorly ; bearing two spines, the lower of which is much 

 the stronger: occipital bone lunate behind, enclosing a membranous space, 

 and terminating at each edge in a very strong acute spine : clavicle with a 

 very strong ridged spine, about equal in total length to the diameter of the 

 eye. Jaws with a band of villiform teeth, interrupted at the symphyses ; 

 vomerine teeth in a single patch much broader than long. The dorsal fin 

 commences above the expanded portion of the clavicle, and ends slightly in 

 front of the anal ; the spines are strong, the three first minutely granulated 

 on their lower portion anteriorly, the third the longest, but little longer than 

 the second and fourth, and from 1'90-2'10 in the length of the head ; the 

 eighth spine is minute ; the two first rays of the soft dorsal are unbranched, 

 the anterior being one half the length of the second, and the distance between 

 its base and the origin of the caudal is 1'75 in that between the same spot 

 and the tip of the snout ; the fourth ray is the highest, and five sevenths of 

 the third spine ; the last ray is undivided : the anal commences beneath the 

 origin of the soft dorsal ; the first seven rays are simple, the last divided 

 almost to its base, and the middle rays are the longest : the ventral fin 

 barely reaches to the vent ; its spine is equal in length to, but more flexible 

 than, the first dorsal spine, and the middle ray is the longest, from l-40-l"80 

 in the length of the head: the pectoral is rounded posteriorly, and its 

 middle ravs are from one sixth to one tenth longer than the head, and extend 

 to between the fifth and seventh anal rays : caudal deeply emarginate ; the 

 least height of the pedicle greater than its breadth at the same spot, and 

 rather less than one half of the distance betw^een the dorsal fin and the origin 

 of the caudal. Scales exceedingly small, absent on the throat and chest. 

 Lateral line smooth and slightly sinuous. A series of seven stout, flat, 

 roughened plates supporting the base of the spinous dorsal, the anterior of 

 which is crescentic, the convex portion being in front ; rayed dorsal without 

 supporting plates. 



Colors. — Upper parts red or reddish-brown, the sides sometimes tinged 

 Avith yellow; below silvery: dorsal and caudal fins uniform red ; ventral pale 

 pink or yellow ; pectorals outwardly dull purple with occasionally a few 

 scattered white spots, and with the inner surface olive green ornamented 

 with purple bands, which run parallel to the hinder margin of the fin, and 

 are much narrower than the interspaces ; two large, oblong, white edged 

 black spots, the lower of which is about twice as long as the upper, near its 

 base inferiorly ; anal w^hite. 



