jj8 MEMOISS OF THE QUEENSLAND MUSEUM. 



largest, behind which the others are symmetrically graded; lower jaw with a. 

 similar series of conical teeth, but the largest are on the middle of the side, from 

 which they uradually decrease in size before and behind : outside of this row is a 

 second series, posteriorly very small, but evenly increasing towaids the front, so 

 that at the symphysis they are fully as long and strong as those of the inner 

 series; roof of mouth and tongue smooth. 



Scales small, thin, and delicate, feebly ctenoid, in 82 series above the 

 lateral line, in 11/1/19 below the spin.ous dorsal; scales of head, except tiiose of 

 the opercle and occiput, cycloid, only the tip of the snout and the chin naked ; on 

 the body they are arranged in oblique rows, except on the caudal peduncle and 

 breast. Ctenoid scales in two series form a basal sheath for the soft dorsal, the 

 iuterradial membrane of which is scaly on its lower moiety ; proximal two thirds 

 of caudal scaly : anal, pectoi-als, and ventrals with scaly bases. Lateral line 

 forming a long gentle curve to below the middle of the soft dorsal, the tube- 

 bearing scales 49, the tubes, which do not reach the border of the scale, each 

 being provided with an ascending and a descending tubule. Tiji of suout pierced 

 by eight pores; a large median one in front followed by a crescentic series of three 

 smaller ones, the inferior edge having on either side a pair of slit-like pores, each 

 overhung by a narrow flap ; mandibular i)ores five ; a median transversely oblong 

 one, followed by two paired longitudinal .slits. 



Dorsal fins with x, i 31 rays, the first originating above the pectoral-base, 

 tile last spine i)artly united to but consideral)ly shorter than that of the soft 

 dor.sal : spines weak and flexible, the third the longest, cons])icuously longer than 

 the fourth, 1-83 in the length of the head, and 1-22 in that of its base, which is 1-9 

 in that of the second dorsal, the rays of which increase gradually to about the 

 fifteenth, which is 1-5 in the length of the thii'd spine and 2-77 in the length of the 

 head; last I'ay, like that of the anal, divided neai'ly to its base; lengtli of soft 

 dorsal 2-5 in that of the body. Caudal fin cuneate, 4-55 in the body-length. Anal 

 with ii 7 T'ays, originating below the twelfth dorsal ray; spines strong and 

 pungent, the second long and fluted, half as long as the head, and scarcely sho'-ter 

 than the first ray ; length of anal 4-3 in that of the second dorsal. Pectoral 

 pointed, with 17 rays, the fifth and sixth the longest, 1-6 in the length of the 

 head, and extending to below the anterior dorsal ray. Ventral originating belov/ 

 the lowei' angle of the pector'al-bas" and as long as that fin, the outer ray the 

 longest and terminating in a .short filamtnl. 



Gill-rakers short and slender, 6 -f 10 with some rudiments on the anterior 

 arch, the longest two fifths of the eye-diameter. 



Silvei'v, dai'kest ali0\e, the sides and belly deeply washed with gold, as 

 also is the base of the ventivils, llie ed^-e of the i)reo|ierele, ;ind thi' exposed 

 l)ortion of the nia.\illary. Spinous dorsal dai'k-edged, the intefsi)inous mendirane 

 profusely pouder'i'd with I'ul'ous htown ; the powdei-Jng of the soft tlorsal and 

 eaiid;il i-oufiiied to a strip along each ray. {XivTik, thin; Aem's-, a scale.) 



