70 MEMOIRS OF THE Ql EENSLAND MUSEUM. 



subvertical ; the remaining seven run vertically from the soft dorsal to the anal: 

 between th<> seven anterior bands are still narrower and less conspicuous blackish 

 bars or chains of spots, which do not descend below the level of the pectoral; a 

 small, mostly concealed, black axillary spot; upper surface of snout washed 

 with bronze. Fins greenish yellow, the first dorsal clouded; tips of the caudal 

 lobes black. [Half-grown) : At this stage the upper surface is golden brown, 

 shading through the sides to the pearly white of the breast and abdomen; the 

 supplementary bars have disappeared and the principal bands have faded to 

 a dull blue and rarely extend below the middle of the sides; the snout has also 

 become dull blue and there is a similar blotch on the opercle, the black tips 

 of the caudal lobes have disappeared, but the tips of all the rays inside the fork 

 are dusky. [Adult) : Silvery, washed above with plumbeous blue and without 

 any trace of bands or spots, only tin- yellowish tinge of the fins and the dusky 

 tips of the spinous dorsal and caudal persisting, (speciasus, handsome or 

 showy.) 



Described from four (Queensland examples, measuring 353, 323, 261, and 

 124 millimeters, the largest, from Moreton Bay, belonging to the Amateur Fisher- 

 men's Association of Queensland, the remaining three in the Queensland Museum 

 from Darnley Island, Townsville, and Southport, having been respectively 

 presented by Dr. J. K. Tosh, Mr. F. H. Taylor, and the writer. 



Vernacular names: — As both of the names, by which this species is com- 

 monly known, refer to the coloration of the young fish only, we have found it 

 necessary to create a name, which will be suitable to the fish at all stages of 

 growth. 



Historical: — This beautiful species was originally described from specimens- 

 obtained at Jeddah, on the Arabian Coast of the Red Sea, by Forskal, to whom 

 it was known by the Arab name rim, 15 which, according to Valenciennes, signifies 

 a staircase, and was doubtless suggested by the evenly graded bands on the sides^ 

 of the fish. The next knowledge of importance came from Commergon. who left 

 in his MSS. a detailed description as well as a figure, both of which were sub- 

 sequently published by Lacepede; his specimens, two in number, were taken at 

 Mauritius, where he left the elder Bougainville, when on his way back to France 

 after circumnavigating the globe in the frigate "Boudeuse," 1766 to 1769. 

 Russell 's figure, published a year later than Lacepede 's from an example captured 

 on the East Coast of India, does little credit to the artist and would be irrecognis- 

 able were it not for the cross-bands. 1 ' 1 Valenciennes adds little to our knowledge 



'•"•Beino unable to consult Forskal's work I can not tell whether that author described 

 the species twice — as Scomber rim and S. speeiosus — as would appear from the synonymy 

 given by Jordan and Evermann. No mention is made of any such species by Giinther or Day, 

 and I, therefore, follow Valenciennes in looking upon rim as an Arabic title only. 



16 Kussell himself' complicates matters by giving wrong measurements for his specimen, 

 wldch. lie says, was seven in. in length and three and one third in width (i.e. depth). The 

 latter figure is doubtless a misprint for two and one third. 



