AUSTRALIAN G0BIID.« McCDLLOCH AND OGILBT. 225 



the head. lutex'ocnlar width 1-2 in the eye. Interorbital width 2'2 in 

 the eye, and 1"5 in the snout, which is 4-6 in the head. Depth of the 

 caudal peduncle 1"7 in the head. Breadth before the pectoral fin 1-1 in 

 the depth. 



Head as broad as deep, with a very obtuse snout. The cheeks are 

 naked, but the opercles are covered with about eight large concentrically 

 striated scales. Some microscopic papillae near the mouth and below the 

 lower border of the preoperculum. Eye large, in the anterior half of the 

 head, and superolateral ; the interorbital space is narrow, but the distance 

 between the ocular margins is wider. Snout tumid, its profile oblique ; 

 jaws subeqnal. Nostrils separate, in minute tubes, the anterior near the 

 upper lip, the posterior near the eye. Maxilla reaching to below the 

 anterior portion of the eye. An outer row of flattened movable teeth in 

 each jaw, and there are some microscopic inner teeth on the anterior 

 portion of the mandible ; inner pi'emaxillary teeth not apparent : a 

 slightly enlarged tooth on each side of the mandibular symphysis. 

 Tongue thick, and largely aduate to the floor of the mouth, its anterior 

 margin subtrancate. Gill-openings lateral ; the exposed edge of the 

 shoulder-girdle smooth. 



Body compressed, with a broad and rather long peduncle. Scales 

 large and angular, and ctenoid on the body, but cycloid on the nape and 

 neck. They extend forward to between the posterior portions of the eyes ; 

 there are seven predorsal scales, which increase in size forwards. Base of 

 the pectoral and breast scaly. Grenital papilla developed. 



First dorsal originating above the anterior half of tlie pectoral ; the 

 second spine is slightly longer than those on either side of it, and the 

 others decrease regularly backwards. Third dorsal ray highest, and longer 

 than the second spine ; the following rays decrease in length backwards. 

 Anal opposite the dorsal, but with a rather shorter base ; its rays are subequal 

 in length. Pectoral rounded, the middle rays reaching the tenth row of 

 scales. Ventrals inserted before the pectorals, and but little shorter than 

 those fins ; the basal membrane is broad. Caudal rounded. 



Golour-marliimj. — Faded after long preservation in alcohol, but light 

 in colour. Each scale of the upper portions with a broad submarginal 

 border of dark dots. Head and middle of the sides freckled with clusters 

 of dark dots, which are also present on the dorsal fins. 



Described and figured from one of two cotypes 32 mm. long, which 

 are preserved in the Australian Museum. These were secured from Mr. 

 De Vis in 1886 by one of us (Ogilby), and are labelled as Gobiiis flavescens, 

 from Moreton Bay. They differ from the original description in several 

 important details : there are nine rays in the second dorsal and anal fins 

 instead of eleven and ten as described ; the proportions of the head and 

 depth of the body are very different from those given by De Vis ; the 

 interorbital space is much narrower than the orbit, though it should be 

 noted that the eye is subequal to the interocular width. On the other 

 hand they agree with the description in their colour-marking, physiognomy, 

 and in having large scales on the nape, while the tail and other parts are 

 covered with thick mucous. Taking into consideration the history of the 

 specimens, and making allowance for the extraordinary inaccuracies common 

 to De Vis' descriptions, we regard them as true cotypes of G. J^avescens. 



Loc. — Moreton Bay, Queensland. 



