FISHES. — MCCULLOCH. 



149 



rows in front and singly on the sides, with some microscopic, 

 villiform ones at their bases. They are eardiform on the vomer, 

 and form two rather elongate, parallel patches, several series 

 wide. A long, equally broad band of similar teeth is present on 

 each palatine. 



Body covered with rather large ctenoid scales, which extend 

 onto the operculum and postorbital portion of thepreoperculum. 

 Lateral line scales similar to those of the body, the anterior 

 three or four with spines. There are about seventy and eighty- 

 six rows above the lateral liue according to the direction in 

 which they are counted. 



Origin of the first dorsal just behind the head; the auterior 

 spine minute, the third the highest. The second dorsal ray is 

 the highest, and is about the same length as, or shorter than the 

 longest spine ; the following rays gradually decrease in length. 

 Origin of anal a trifle behind that of the second dorsal, and its 

 termination far behind that fin; its rays are much shorter and 

 subequal in length. Upper caudal rays louger than the lower, 

 the margin subtruncate. Ventrals reaching to the base of the 

 second anal ray, the spine rather weak ami the inner ray simple. 

 Pectoral broadly rounded, reaching beyond the middle of the 

 first dorsal fin. 



Colour in formalin. — Brownish above, with traces of the 

 usual darker cross-bands. Sides of head and body with more or 

 less distinct, large, brown spots. Dorsal fins with dusky spots, 

 which coalesce to form a broad dark margin on the spinous 

 portion. Anal while. Pectorals and ventrals dusky and 

 spotted. Caudal with some very striking black blotches 

 posteriorly and near the base. 



This species closely resembles 1. harrisii^ but may be at once 

 distinguished by its much larger teeth and longer snout. The 

 maxillary also reaches backward only to the anterior fourth or 

 the front margin of the eye ; the ridges of the head, especially 

 the radiating ones on the cranium, are stronger ; and the caudal 

 is truncate instead of rounded, and has a more striking coloura- 

 tion, 



Locs. — Described from three specimens, 252-286 mm. long, 

 from seven miles S.21°W. of Port Stephens Lighthouse, New 

 South Wales, in 48 fathoms. 



Insidiator nematophthalmi s, Gunther. 



Plabycephaltis nematophthalmtis, Giinther, Brit. Mus, Cat. 

 Fish., ii.. I860, p. 1«4; and Journ. Mus. Godeff., v., 1S76. 

 p. 166, pi. evii., fig, c. /</., Bleeker, Atl. lchth.,ix., 1877, 

 pi. ccccxx., tig. 3. Id., Macleay, Proc. Linn. Soc. N.S. 



