FISH FAUNA. 55 



three-fifths to four and four-fifths in the total length. The scales are large, 

 ctenoid, and firmly adherent ; there are two scales between the occiput 

 and the origin of the first dorsal fin, and ten on the ridge of the tail behind 

 the second dorsal. The lateral line is strongly curved to opposite the 

 termination of the soft dorsal, and the tubes are simple throughout its 

 entire length ; the elongate scale on the caudal fin bears three or four large 

 open pores on either edge. Colors. — Head and body uniform yellowish- 

 brown without ornamentation, excepting an iridescent spot on the opercle ; 

 the dorsal, anal, and ventral fins are of a darker shade, and the upper third 

 of the spinous dorsal is jet black, while the basal third of the anal, the 

 pectoral and the caudal fins are brilliant orange. 



Mr. Saunders, who collected three specimens of the length of from three 

 and two-thirds to three and four-fifths inches, informs me that they are rare, 

 and are quite unknown to the islanders, who are well acquainted with the 

 preceding species. His examples were taken from a pool between tide-marks. 

 Eegister numbers, I. 1799-1801. 



CHiETODONTIDJE.* 



CH.^TODON, Olivier. 

 Ch^todon steigatus, Cuv. Sf Val. 

 Very common, growing to six inches in length, but not used as food.t 



Ch^etodon apheodite, sp. nov. 



Plate III, f. 2. 



B. vi. D. 12/26. A. 3/21. V. 1/5. P. 15. C. 17. L.l. 39/12. L. tr. 8/18. 



The length of the head is three and one-foiu^th in the total length, the height 

 of the body, which is strongly compressed and very high, five-ninths of the 

 same measured above the vent. The eye is large, situated close to the upper 

 profile of the head, in the length of which its diameter is contained two and 

 three-fovirths times ; the snout is but little produced, not being as long as 

 the diameter of the eye, and the slightly convex interorbital space is even 

 less than the snout. The upper profile descends abruptly from a short 

 distance in front of the dorsal to the snout, which is concave ; the ventral 

 profile, though considerably rounded, is not nearly so much so as that of the 

 dorsal. The preopercle is entire. Teeth. — Brush like. Fins. — The dorsal 

 spines are moderately strong, the fifth the longest, three-fourths of the 

 length of the head, and longer than the rays ; the soft portions of both this 

 aud the anal fins are rounded posteriorly : the anal spines are stronger than 

 those of the dorsal, the second aud third equal in length, and five-ninths of 

 the length of the head : the ventral fin reaches to the third anal spine, and 

 the pectoral somewhat further, the latter measuring one-fourth of the total 

 length, while the truncate caudal only measures five and two-thirds in the 

 same. The scales are of moderate size and ctenoid. The lateral line ceases 

 opposite the twenty-fourth dorsal ray, there being thirty-nine tubular scales 

 up to that point. Colors.— Th.e upper surface of the snout and the interorbital 



* I can see no reason why the ordinary rule, which provides that the name of a family 

 shall invariably terniinate in " ida,^' should be ignored in the present ease, and I have 

 therefore adopted Richardson's name ; that he included species belougintj to a totally 

 different family in his Chcetodontidce is no argument against the use of the name, and even 

 if it were a similar objection might be made to the use of Cuvier's Squamipinnes. 



t C. strigattis is sometimes offered in considerable numbers in the Sydney market, and I 

 have on several occasions used them for the table and found them delicious eating. 



