20 STUDIES IN THE ICHTHYOLOGY OF QUEENSLAND 



1^ to 14 in the diameter of the eye. Nasal, preocular, supra- 

 ocular, postocular, parietal, and nuchal ridges each terminating 

 in a spine; an exoccipital spine; interorbital ridges moderately 

 developed, smooth ; temporal region with three short spinose 

 ridges. Posterior preorbital spine not extending beyond the 

 vertical from the front margin of the pupil, its length from the 

 base of the anterior spine 6^ to 6f in that of the head. Upper 

 preopercular spine as long as or longer than the last preorbital 

 spine. Gill-rakers 4 + 12, a few near the hinge claviform, the 

 rest tubercular. Length of soft portion of dorsal fin 3| to 

 3^ in that of the spinous ; fourth spine the highest, not much 

 higher than the third or fifth, 2 to 2^ in the length of the head, 

 and 2f to 2| times the height of the first spine; last spine as 

 high as or a little higher than the penultimate ; outer border of 

 soft dorsal rounded, the highest rays equal to or rather less than 

 the fourth spine. Anal fin originating below the thirteenth or 

 fourteenth dorsal spine, its third spine as high as the seventh or 

 eighth dorsal spine, 2^ to 3 in the length of the head, and con- 

 siderably lower than the soft portion of the fin, the outer border 

 of which is angularly rounded. Caudal fin with 10 branched 

 rays, the middle pair the longest, 3f to 4 in the total length. 

 Pectoral fin not reaching to the vent, its length thrice or a little 

 more than thrice the width of its base, and li to 1^ in the 

 length of the head. Ventral fin pointed, a little shorter than 

 the pectoral, extending to or nearly to the anal, its spine as long 

 as the third anal spine. Pyloric coeca 4. Brown, irregularly 

 marbled with black, which sometimes takes the form of broad 

 transverse bands, and frequently with bright yellow spots and 

 blotches ; a chestnut spot often present on the occiput ; fins 

 mottled with blue-gray or yellow and black ; a large black blotch 

 usually present in front of the middle of the spinous dorsal. 

 {rohustn, stout.) 



Length to 280 millimeters. (Head and body 222, caudal 

 fin 58.) 



East coast of Australia. Its presence has been recorded 

 throughout the district lying between Shoalhaven to the south 

 and the Mary River to the north, but as it is everywhere com- 

 mon within those limits a more perfect acquaintance with our 

 estuarine fauna will probably extend its range considerably. 

 It has not, however, been included in either the Victorian or the 

 Tasmanian lists. 



Type in the South Kensington Museum. 



