82 DR. RICHARDSON'S DESCRIPTION OF AUSTRALIAN FISH. 



The intestines are capacious. Tlie stomach is large and bends upon itself, forming a 

 small ' cul de sac' at the elbow : the somewhat contracted pylorus is muscular and glan- 

 dular ; beneath it four short caeca enter the gut, opposite to each other. The convo- 

 lutions of the intestine are involved in a vascular mesentery. The membranes of the 

 fish generally are strong and tough ; the skin is firmly connected with the subjacent 

 coarse fasciae and muscles, and the scales adhere strongly. There are sixteen abdominal 

 vertebrae, the six lower ones having their transverse processes connected by a bridge of 

 bone, so as to enclose a small round opening ; and about eighteen caudal vertebrae. 

 The first of the latter has a descending process, with scoop- or spout-shaped arms en- 

 closing a large oval opening, and much inchned backwards. The corresponding pro- 

 cesses of the succeeding vertebrae are similar, but their openings are smaller and their 

 limbs narrower, though their inferior spinous points are longer, up to the seventh or 

 eighth, when they again decrease successively in length. The colour of the fish in spirits 

 is dark brown marbled with grey spots, most conspicuous on the belly, where the 

 ground-colour is much lighter. 



Emjs.—V,Y. G - 6 ; P. 9 and VI. ; V. 1|5, the last deeply divided ; D. IS] - 1|17 ; 

 A.3|8;C. 16f'. 



Dimensions. 



Inches. Lines. 



Length from intermaxillary symphysis to extremity of upper caudal lobe . 24 



Length from intermaxillary symphysis to base of caudal 20 8 



Length from intermaxillary symphysis to end of dorsal 18 



Length from intermaxillary symphysis to end of anal 16 9 



Length from intermaxillary symphysis to anus 14 3 



Length from intermaxillary symphysis to beginning of soft dorsal ... 13 



Length from intermaxillary symphysis to ventrals 7 2 



Length from intermaxillary symphysis to beginning of spinous dorsal . . 5 6 



Length from intermaxillary symphysis to pectorals 4 4 



Length from intermaxillary symphysis to tip of gill-flap 4 8 



Length from intermaxillary symphysis to centre of eye 2 2 



Diameter of orbit 8 



Length of pectorals 3 8 



Length of ventrals 2 3 



Length of anal ^ 



Length of spinous dorsal • 7 



Length of soft ditto 5 6 



' The following are the formulie of the fin-rays in a specimen of Aplodactylus punctatus taken at Valparaiso, 

 and of one in Mr. Darwin's collection, but the place of capture not noted : — 



Br. 6 — 6 ; P. 11 and IV. ; V. 1|5 ; D. 15|— 1|20 ; A. 3|7 ; C. 17.— Hist, des Poissons. 

 Br. 6 — 6 ; P. 9 and VI. ; V. Ijo ; D. 15|— 1|21 ; A. 3|8 ; C. \1 .—Jenyns and Darwin. 



