•28 MEMOIRS OF TEE QUEENSLAND MUSEUM. 



deeper than long, its least depth one third of the length of the head. Head a 

 little wider than deeper, the fronto-oecipital profile linear and strongly acclivous, 

 that of the nape rounded, its width 1-33 in its length, which is 2-55 in that of the 

 body. Snout short, with linear, subvertical profile, its length 1-25 in the eye- 

 diameter, which is 3-67 in the length of the head. Interorbital region narrow and 

 concave, its width one third of the eye-diameter. Maxillary extending rather 

 more than an eye-diameter behind the eye, its length 1-5 in that of the head, the 

 width of its distal extremity 3-9 in its length. 



Scales everywhere imbricate, disposed in regular series over the whole 

 "body, becoming somewhat larger posteriorly. Lateral line terminating below tho 

 5th dorsal ray. 



Dorsal fin with xii 16 rays, originating well behind the tip of the 

 maxillary; outer border of spinous dorsal rounded in front, linear behind, the 

 spines gradually increasing in length to the last, but lower than the soft rays, 

 the 8th, 9th, and 10th of which are the longest, a little more than half the length 

 of the head. Caudal fin of moderate length, 4-6 in the length of the body. Anal 

 with ii 14 rays, originating below the 3rd dorsal ray, the rays increasing in length 

 to the 4th, which is 2-37 in the length of the head and as long as the succeeding 

 seven, beyond which they decrease. Pectoral rounded, with 21 rays, all except the 

 upper and lower pair about equal in length, and 2-25 in the length of the head. 

 Ventral longer than the pectoral, none of the rays produced. 



Gill-rakers 4+12 and some tubercles, rather stout and cultriform, the 

 longest 2-3 in the eye-diameter. 



Pale rufous brown, scarcely lighter below, everywhere spotted with dark 

 blue or black, the spots largest on the upper part of the trunk and tail, smallest 

 on the head; a large blackish or smoky brown blotch beneath the appressed 

 pectoral. Spinous dorsal sparsely, pectorals profusely spotted; the other fins 

 immaculate. 



Described from a fine specimen, measuring 346 mm. in total length, 

 collected at Dobo, Aru Islands, by Mr. John Colclough, who presented it to the 

 Amateur Fishermen 's Association of Queensland, by whom it was kindly lent for 

 the purposes of this review. 



This fine species was first described from a small example, 178 mm. long, 

 obtained at the Palm Isles, N.Q., during the cruise of the "Chevert." We next 

 hear of it from Torres Strait, through a specimen forwarded to the Australian 

 Museum by Mr, Cousens, and described as a Batrachus by the late Dr. E, Pierson 

 Eamsay. A few years later Saville Kent, when a guest on board H.M.S. 

 "Myrmidon," collected one at Port Darwin, N.T., as recorded by de Vis. From 

 that time I find no record of the species until 1906, when Mr. Banfield sent me a 

 320 mm. example from Dunk Island, while in the following year the specimen 

 /described and figured came into my hands. It is said to be good eating. 



