64 LORD HOWE ISLAND. 



ACANTHOPTERYGII PHARYNGOGNATHI. 

 GLYPHIDODONTIDiE. 



AMPHIPEION, Bl. Schu 



Amphipeion melanopus, Blh. 



Mr. Saunders brought back two fine specimens — the larger measurmg four 

 and a half inches — of an Ampliiprion, which agrees in everything with the 

 above-named species, except that in both the dorsal and pectoral fins are 

 black, and in the larger the opercular stripe is absent ; he informs me that 

 they are rare, and were taken in a rock-pool. 



POMACENTEUS, Guvier. 



POMACEI^TRUS FASCIOLATrS, Sp. nOV. 

 B. V. D. 13/17. A. 2/13-14. V. 1/5. P. 20—21. C. 15. L. 1. 29. L. tr. 3/11. 



The length of the head is from four and a half to four and three-fourths, 

 the height of the body from two and seven-tenths to two and nine-tenths in 

 the total length. The diameter of the eye is from three and one-third to 

 three and two-thirds in the length of the head, nine-tenths of that of the 

 snout, and four-fifths of the convex interorbital space. The upper profile 

 from the tip of the snout to the origin of the dorsal fin is a regular and 

 gentle curve. The greatest depth of the preorbital, which is entire, is about 

 two-thirds of the diameter of the eye. The suborbital ring and the pre- 

 opercle are coarsely denticulated, the teeth at the angle of the latter being 

 much the strongest ; there is a single small spine on the opercle. The 

 maxilla extends almost to the anterior margin of the eye. Fins. — The 

 dorsal spines are of moderate length and strong, the last eight sub-equal 

 in length, and from three-fifths to four-sevenths of the length of the head, 

 and about three-fourths of the middle dorsal rays, which are slightly longer 

 than the base of the soft dorsal, as also are the anal rays, both of these fins 

 being pointed : the second anal spine is very strong, longer than the longest 

 dorsal spine, being about two-thirds of the length of the head : the first 

 ventral ray is produced into a filament which reaches to the vent, and is equal 

 in length to the head, while the pectoral fin is of a similar length : the caudal 

 fin is slightly longer than the head, and is emarginate, each lobe being 

 obtusely rounded. Scales. — The inferior half of the dorsal and anal fins are 

 covered with scales which are much smaller than those on the body. 

 Colors. — Dark brown, each row of scales on the body and tail having its 

 anterior half pale yellowdsh-brown, so as to form numerous bands slightly 

 broader than the intervening ground color ; the opercles, cheeks, throat, and 

 base of the anal fin are prettily marked with round light blue spots ; all the 

 fins are black, except the pectorals, which are bluish-brown. 



Mr. Saunders collected several specimens of this handsome fish, all obtained 

 from rock-pools, in which he tells me they are very common ; the largest 

 measured six and a half inches, the smallest one and two-thirds. This species 

 is undoubtedly closely allied to Pomacentrus scolopsis, but the constancy of 

 the number of the dorsal spines, of the slightly larger number of scales on 

 both lateral and transverse lines, of the more elongate form, and of the 

 absence of the black spot on the dorsal fin have induced me to consider it 

 distinct. Eegister numbers, I. 1,897 — I. 1,902. 



GLTPHIDODON, Lacepede. 

 Gltphidodon c{elestinus, Guv. Sf Val. 

 This species is very abundant in pools on the reefs, and numerous examples 

 were obtained bv Mr. Saunders. 



