﻿FISHES. 
  - 
  33 
  

  

  and 
  extremity 
  of 
  tail 
  verj' 
  nidimentary 
  or 
  partly 
  absent. 
  Vent 
  in, 
  

   or 
  nearly 
  in, 
  the 
  median 
  line. 
  

  

  Moreton 
  Eay 
  (Peters) 
  ; 
  Thursday 
  Island 
  (Dr. 
  Coppinger). 
  

  

  In 
  our 
  specimens 
  the 
  fin 
  occupying 
  the 
  median 
  line 
  between 
  the 
  

   branchial 
  or 
  abdominal 
  pore 
  and 
  the 
  caudal 
  extremity 
  is 
  rather 
  

   more 
  distinct 
  than 
  would 
  seem 
  to 
  have 
  been 
  the 
  case 
  in 
  the 
  specimens 
  

   described 
  and 
  figured 
  by 
  Peters 
  ; 
  and 
  consequently 
  the 
  position 
  of 
  

   the 
  vent 
  is, 
  at 
  least 
  in 
  some 
  of 
  our 
  specimens, 
  rather 
  lateral 
  than 
  

   median. 
  Whether 
  these 
  differences 
  are 
  owing 
  to 
  the 
  better 
  state 
  of 
  

   preservation 
  of 
  our 
  specimens, 
  or 
  related 
  to 
  the 
  difference 
  of 
  locality, 
  

   I 
  am 
  not 
  prepared 
  to 
  decide 
  ; 
  but 
  assuming 
  the 
  latter 
  to 
  be 
  the 
  case, 
  

   I 
  should 
  not 
  consider 
  them 
  sufficient 
  for 
  specific 
  distinction. 
  Further, 
  

   as 
  our 
  specimens 
  show 
  distinct 
  traces 
  of 
  a 
  postanal 
  fin 
  and 
  a 
  sub- 
  

   lateral 
  position 
  of 
  the 
  vent, 
  they 
  clearly 
  indicate 
  that 
  Epigoniclithys 
  

   cannot 
  be 
  maintained 
  as 
  a 
  distinct 
  genus. 
  

  

  