54 LORD HOWE ISLAND. 



TEACHYPOMA, Giinther. 



Teachypoma maceaca^'thus, Gnth. 



The " Eed Eock Cod "* of the islauders is also common, and grows to 

 about ten inches in length. It is usually taken by hook oft" the rocks, but 

 Mr. Saunders' examples were obtained under stones between tide-marks, a 

 rather anomalous position for a Serranoid fish. 



AEEIPI8, Jenyns. 



Aeeipis salae, JRich. 



The " Salmon " is abundant, and going as it does in large schools along 

 the shore is easily caught in great numbers. It is considered one of the best 

 fishest for the table, whether fresh or smoJ^ed, and attains to a length of over 

 three feet. 



APOGON", Lacepede. 



Apogon NOEFOLCEijfsis, Ogilhj.X 



The " Big-eye " is abundant, and grows to the length of six inches, 



Apogon chetsueus, si), nov. 

 B. Tii. D. 7. 1/9. A. 2/8. V. 1/5. P. 15. C. 17. L.l. 25. L. tr. 2/6. 

 The length of the head is one-third, the height of the body three-tenths of 

 the total length ; the diameter of the eye is from three to three and one-fifth in 

 the length of the head ; the snout is obtuse, from two-thirds to three-fifths of 

 the diameter of the eye, while the interorbital space is flat, three-fourths of 

 the same, and, along with the snout, divided by broad ridges into four deep 

 poriferous areas. The upper surface of the head is flat. The lower jaw 

 protrudes slightly beyond the upper, and the maxilla, which is provided with 

 a strong median ridge reaching to the truncate ^^osterior margin, extends to 

 the vertical from the posterior fourth of the orbit. The opercle is armed 

 with a short flat inconspicuous spine ; the outer limb of the preopercle is 

 very finely serrated on tlie vertical edge and rounded angle, the horizontal 

 edge and the inner limb being entire ; the post-temporal is denticulated in 

 some specimens, but smooth in others. Teeth. — The jaws, vomer, and 

 palatines are armed with bands of villiform teeth. Fins. — The dorsal spines 

 are strong, the third the strongest and highest, five-sevenths of the length of 

 the head ; the origin of the second dorsal is above the ninth scale of the lateral 

 line, and is sitviated ijiidway between the tip of the snout and the extremity 

 of the caudal fin ; its spine is strong, one-half of the length of the head, and 

 the anterior rays are about one-third longer than the spine : the anal com- 

 mences beneath the anterior ray of the soft dorsal, and ends a little behind 

 that fin ; its second spine is strong and compressed, three-sevenths of the 

 length of the head ; the rays are similar to those of the dorsal, and the last 

 is divided from the very base : the ventral fin is rounded, two-thirds of the 

 length of the head, and not reaching beyond the origin of the anal fin ; its 

 spine is strong and compressed, sub-equal in length to that of the second 

 dorsal : the pectoral fin is rounded, from two-thirds to four-sevenths of the 

 length of the head : the caudal fin is slightly rounded, from four and 



* The colonists of Lord Howe Island evidently show a more critical appreciation of the 

 aiBnities of species than do the fishermen of New 8outh Wales, among whom the name of 

 " Red Eoct Cod " is impartially given to Scorpama cruenta and S. cardinalis. 



t In Sydney this fish is not considered fit to send to table. It is in my opinion coarse, 

 dry, and tasteless, and as it decays very rapidly great care should be taken in choosing only 

 the freshest specimens, especially during the summer. 



X Described in the Proc. Linn. Soe. N. S. Wales, li (2), 1887, p. 99. 



