EDIBLE FISHES OF QUEENSLAND.— OGILBT. 21 



of soft portion 2-37 in its height, 1-75 in that of the dorsal fin, and 2-55 in that of 

 the head. Pectoral with 16 rays, its length 1-22 in that of the head; fifth ray 

 longest, extending to below the first dorsal ray. Ventral inserted below the end 

 ■of the pectoral-base ; spine rather weak but much longer than the longest dorsal 

 spine, 1-75 in the outer rays, which are subequal, 1-13 in the length of the 

 pectoral, and reach almost to the vent. 



Gill-rakers short and stout, 10 on the lower branch of the anterior arch, 

 the longest 1-8 in the eye-diameter. 



Roseate, the lower surfaces lighter and obscurely tinged with yellow ; body 

 with ten narrow, more or less wavy, longitudinal blue bands; the upper pair 

 meet across the nape ; the second pair extend upon the occiput, where they are 

 broken up into irregular spots; the third reaches to above the post-temporal, 

 beyond which it is similarly broken up ; the fourth is continued forward to the eye 

 and, though less clearly, along the upper eyelid and across the nostrils, meeting 

 near the end of the snout ; the fifth ceases at the opercle ; these five pairs termi- 

 nate at various points along the base of the dorsal fin ; the sixth reaches to the 

 eye and is continued on^ the snout as a series of small blue spots, which meet 

 across the tip of the snout ; the seventh extends to the opercle ; the eighth to the 

 middle of the preorbital; the two lower to the pectoral, in front of which are 

 some irregular spots and bars; a narrow blue cross-bar between the eyes. All 

 the fins pinkish, the caudal with a narrow dark terminal band. 



Described from a fine specimen, 353 mm. long, trawled in Hervey Bay, 

 and presented to the Queensland Museum by the Department of Fisheries 

 through Captain Hoult of the ' ' Bar-ea-Mul. " 



The species was only known previously from two young examples, 

 measuring 82 and 86 mm., recorded by Bleeker from Singapore and Celebes. Its 

 rediscovery on the South Queensland coast is, therefore, of more than ordinary 

 interest. 



Part XVI.— OPISTHOGNATHID.^ (No. 1). 



■Opisthognathidce Jordan & Evermaim, Fish. North & Mid. America, pt. 3, 1898, p. 2279; 

 Eegan, Ann. & Mag. Nat. Hist. (8) xii, July 1913, p. 138. 



THE JAWFISHES OE SMILERS. 

 Body elliptical to elongate, moderately compressed, more or less completely 

 covered with small, cycloid scales. Lateral line single, incomplete, running close 

 to and parallel with the dorsal contour, ceasing below the anterior dorsal rays. 

 Head large and naked, with strongly curved anterior profile, its upper surface 

 smooth. Mouth terminal, horizontal or nearly so, protractile, the cleft usually 

 very wide; jaws normally formed; maxillary broad and exposed, with supple- 

 mental bone. Jaws with bands of villiform or cardiform teeth; vomer usually 

 with a few teeth; palatines and tongue toothless. Two nostrils on each side. 

 Eyes very large, lateral, anterior. Opercles unarmed. Dorsal fin continuous, the 

 spinous and soft portions of nearly equal length, the spines slender and flexible, 



