ICHTHYOLOGICAL ITEMS.— McCULLOCH. 67 



large cirri, which are also present on the lower border of the head and on the margin 

 •of the gill-opening. Upper eye a little in advance of the lower ; interorbital space scaly. 

 Upper anterior nostril in a short thick tnbe, the posterior in a broad tube directly in 

 front of the eye ; lower anterior nostril hidden among the cirri, the posterior in a 

 large tube beneath the upper eye. Teeth forming bands on the left side of each jaw. 

 Mouth opening backward to below the anterior third of the eye ; lower lip fringed 

 with a row of short fleshy tentacles. Gill-membranes united posteriorly with the short 

 pectorals, with which they form broad tubular openings. 



Dorsal fin commencing well before the eye ; its rays increase regidarly in 

 length backward, and are bifurcate with their extreme tips free. Anal similar in form 

 to the dorsal. Caudal obtusely pointed. Ventrals subequal, opposite each other, the 

 right united with the left and with the anal. Pectorals rudimentary, the left larger 

 than the right, and composed of about eight rays, of which the longest is shorter 

 than the eye. Lateral line straight from the back of the head to the median caudal 

 rays ; on the upper side it curves upward and forward towards the front of the head. 



Colour. — Brownish above, indistinctly marked with lighter patches ; some 

 of the scales are darker than the others, giving the body a spotted appearance. 



Described and figured from a specimen, 168 mm. long, from Port Darwin. 

 I have compared it with the type of the species which is preserved in the Macleay 

 Museum, and find it agrees in all details ; the right ventral fin of Macleay's specimen, 

 however, is separate from the anal, the membrane between them having apparently 

 been torn in handling. 



PHYLLICHTHYS PUNCTATUS, sp. nov. 



D. 69-71 ; A. 61-63 ; V. 4 ; C. 13-15. Lateral fine 85. Greatest depth, 

 measured on the lower surface, 3 -01 -3 -08 in the length from the snout to the hyjiural ; 

 head 6-03-6-2 in the same. Eye 6-6-7-3, posterior dorsal ray 1-3-1-5, and caudal fin 

 1-1-1-2 in the head. 



Scales ctenoid above and below, extending onto the basal halves of the fin- 

 rays. Head closely scaly above, with a few cirri on the snout ; anterior third of the 

 lower surface closely covered with large cirri, which are also present on the lower 

 border of the head and on the margin of the gill-opening. Eyes almost on the same 

 level ; interorbital space scaly. Upper anterior nostril in a short, thick tube, the 

 posterior in a broad tube directly before the eye ; lower anterior nostril above the 

 upper lip, the posterior in a large tube below the upper margin of the upper eye. 

 Teeth forming bands on the left side of each jaw. Mouth opening backward to 

 below the anterior portion of the eye ; lower lip fringed with short tentacles. 

 Gill-membranes expanded posteriorly, and united with the rudimentary pectorals, 

 with which they form tubular openings. 



Dorsal fin commencing well in advance of the eye ; its rays increase regularly 

 in length backwards, and are bifurcate, with their tips free. Anal of similar form 

 to the dorsal. Caudal rounded or obtusely pointed. Ventrals subequal, almost 

 opposite each other ; the right is united with the anal, and more or less completely 

 Avith the left. Pectorals rudimentary, the left larger than the right, its longest rays 

 about as long as the eye. Lateral line straight from the back of the head to the middle 

 -caudal rays ; on the upper side it curves upward and forward on the head. 



