FISHKS. —MCCULLOCH. 157 



Parapercis (Neopercis) ALLPORti, Gitnther. 



Pen-is allporti, Giinther, Aim. Mag. Nat. Hist, (4), xvii., 

 1876, p. 39L. Id., Macleay, Proc. Linn. Soc. N,S. Wales, 

 v., 1881, p. 564. Id., Johnston, Proc. Roy. Soc. Tasm., 

 L882 ri883), p. 115, and 1890 (1891), p. 33. Id., Giinther, 



" Challenger " Rept,, Zooh, i., 1880, p. 28. 



Neopercis allporti, Waite, Mem. N.S. Wales Nat. Club, No. 2, 

 1 904, p. 50. 



Parapercis ocularis, Waite, Mem. Austr. Mas., iv., pt. i., 1899, 

 p. 109, pi. xxiv., andRee. Austr. Mus„ v., 1904, p. 237. 



Though several striking differences occur in the descriptions 

 of P. allporti and P. ocularis, the large series of specimens in the 

 " Endeavour" collection convinces me that the two species are 

 identical. A large example, 325 mm. long, only differs from 

 Giinther's description in having eighteen instead of sixteen anal 

 rays ; twenty others also have eighteen, so that Giinther's " 16 " 

 may be a typographical error. The size of the eye is subject to 

 remarkable variation in different individuals, being from 2.7 to 

 almost 4 in the head ; the larger eye is usually characteristic of 

 the younger fish, but its size differs greatly in half-grown 

 specimens of the same length. This variation is also present in 

 the '"Thetis " examples of P. ocularis. 



Well preserved specimens sometimes have ten dark bands 

 across the back, of which the first is on the nape, and the last at 

 the base of the caudal. Besides these, there are very faint 

 indications of narrow bars between the others. None of the 

 specimens have palatine teeth, and the last spine of the first 

 dorsal is not shorter than the middle ones. 



Locs. — This fish is not uncommon in deeper water on the bank 

 to the eastward of Tasmania. A large series of specimens is 

 preserved from the following localities : — 



Between Port Stephens and Newcastle, New South Wales, 

 22-60 fathoms. 



South from Gabo Island, Victoria, 200 fathoms ; August, 1913. 



East of Flinder's Island, Bass Strait, 30 fathoms. 



Oyster Bay, Tasmania, 40-60 fathoms. 



South of Cape Wiles, South Australia, 75 fathoms : August, 

 1909. 



Great Australian Bight, west of the meridian of Eucla . 

 70-120 fathoms. 



