202 RECORDS OF TIJK Al'SIKAMAN MISKIM. 



are nniserial aiul smaller laterally, and there is a canine on each side. 

 Palate toothless. Tongue I'ounded anteriorly. Gill-opening much wider 

 than the base of the pectoral, sepai-ated by a broad isthmus. Shoulder- 

 girdle smooth. 



Body compressed, the breadth between the pectorals 11 in the depth. 

 It is covered with small ctenoid scales, which extend forward to above 

 the end of the opei-culum and to behind the ventrals, leaving the nape, 

 thonix, and pectoral bases naked. Genital papilla minute. 



First dorsal commencing beliind the vertical of the pectorals ; tlie 

 third niy projects beyond the others, and is as long as the head without the 

 operculum. The dorsal rays are subeqnal in height, the last slightly 

 longer than the others, and reaching to the hypural joint. Anal of similar 

 form to the second dorsal, originating behind its second ray, and termin- 

 ating in advance of its last. Pectoral rounded, the median rays longest, 

 not quite reaching the vertical of the anterior dorsal ray. Ventrals 

 inserted in advance of the pectorals, their third rays longest, reaching a 

 little more than half their distance from the anterior anal ray. Caudal 

 pointed, the median rays O'l longer than the head. 



Colour. — Body generally light coloured, with four longitudinal stripes 

 and some very indefinite cross-bauds ; the first stripe commences on the nape 

 behind the eyes, and extends along the back to the last doi'sal ray; the 

 second begins on the snout, and passing through the eye, is lost below the 

 posterior dorsal rays ; the third commences behind the upj)er lip and 

 extends to the caudal, and the fourth runs from behind the pectoral to the 

 caudal base. Snout and interorbital space with spots and bai-s. Cheek 

 and operculum with three horizontal, dark-edged stripes, two of which 

 extend onto the pectoral base ; no spots or occelli. First dorsal fin with 

 about seven nndulous, dark-edged stripes and a large black spot behind 

 the third spine. Second dor.sal with some indefinite stripes anteriorly. 

 Caudal with a bi'oad greyish margin, and an oblique, dark-edged stripd 

 near the upper and lower bases. 



Described from a specimen 109 ram. long, from Dunk Island, North- 

 east Queensland, and collected by Mr. E.J. BanKeld. Six others examined 

 have the same colour-marking, except that they lack all traces of cross-bars 

 on the body. 



Sy II any III I/. — Eleotris traheatiis, described by Richardson from a (haw- 

 ing of a fish from Depuch Island, North-western Austi-alia, is probably 

 •synonymous with V. innritlitt \ the size of its scales, and the squamation 

 (»f the head as shown in the figure, are doubtless errors of the anniteur 

 artist. The specimen identitied by Alleyne and Macleay from Darnley 

 island as /i'. lliienid, Castelnau, is certaiidy P. iiiiiidlii^, as are Macleay 's 

 E. mil fill is from the Endesivour River. Three paratypes of 1^ (irueiisls 

 only differ from the specimen described above in having the cross-bars 

 better defined ; they appear to repi-esent a variety of V. iininilin. 



Locs. — Dunk Island, North-eastern Queensland ; Austr. Mns. Darnley 

 Island, 'Torres Strait, and Endeavour River, North-east Queensland; 

 Macleay Mus. Aru Pslands ; Qld. and Austr. Mus. Giinther has recoided 

 V. nnirulin fi-om Cape York, and Klunzinger hud 8[)eciniens from Port 

 Darwin, while Klentiix truhentiis came from North-western Australia. 



Hull. — Indian Seas to North Australia, Japan, and the western Pacific. 



