180 MEMOIBS OF THE QUEENSLAND MUSEUM. 



donations, a magnificent specimen of this beautiful fish, together with a news- 

 paper clipping recording the circumstances of its capture, and a rough sketch, 

 showing the life-colors of the fish, which conclusively proclaims it to be one of 

 the most gorgeous fishes of any seas. 



From the cutting we gather that the fish was washed ashore at the feet 

 of ]\Ir. Harold White, wdiile watching the surf bathers in Hervey Bay, and was 

 promptly annexed by him and brought to Mr. Maynard. 



The example proves to be the largest on record, measuring over all 195 

 millim., and is for this reason of peculiar value as affording the opportunity to 

 study the variations in form consequent on increasing age, the results of which 

 are embodied in the following notes, which should be compared with our previous 

 description." 



" Depth of body 1-7, of caudal peduncle 7-67 in the length of the body; 

 diameter of eye 1-25 in the length of the snout and a trifie more than the inter- 

 orbital width ; preopercular spine much shorter, 8-1 in the length of the head 

 and not nearly reaching to the level of the pectoral. Dorsal fin with 20 rays, the 

 last spine 4-35 in the body-length." The other characters vary but little.* 



In life the ground-color is imperial purple shading gradually into the deep 

 violet of the abdominal region, the nucho-ventral collar, the dorso-caudal band, 

 the caudal, pectoral, and ventral fins, and a broad band round the jaws chrome- 

 yellow ; all the dark part between the dorsal profile and the pectoral is profusely 

 ornamented with yellow spots, while below that fin right to the caudal these are 

 replaced by an interlacing network of narrow bars; the blue dorsal and anal 

 bars are much more numerous and of a more intricate pattern than is shown in 

 McCulloeh's figure. 



The locality constitutes a new record for Queensland. 



3 Ibid., p. 112. 



* The lower lateral line previously referred to is not present in this fish, and should be 

 omitted from the amended description. 



