106 NEW SPECIES OF TRUE BARRIMUNDI, ETC., 



It is now more than two years since my suspicions were 

 raised concerning the probable existence of a second species of 

 Osteofilossiun or true Barrimundi in Queensland waters. On 

 submitting a copy of my preliminary Report on the Food-fishes 

 of the colony to Mr. Frank -Tardine, of Somerset Station in the 

 Albany Pass, Torres Straits, he assured me that a tish very closely 

 resembling the Dawson River Ofitcoi/lossiini LrirhitnJti, of Gun- 

 ther (diagramatically illustrated in Plate xv, fig. 56 of that 

 report), was an inhabitant of the Batavia River and its associated 

 lagoons in Cape York Peninsula. In this opinion he was also 

 supported by Mr. Urquhart, the then sub-inspector of police for 

 that district. In the opinion of both these gentlemen, however, 

 there were apparently minor points of difference that favoured 

 the possibility of its bemg a distinct species. Mr. Jardine's 

 assistance towards obtaining specimens was heartily accorded. 

 His earlier eflbrts, however, were not attended with complete 

 success ; while failing to secure and preserve a perfect snecimen, 

 he nevertheless provided me a single scale taken from the fish's 

 lateral line which gave support to the suspicion of its represent- 

 ing a second species. This scale, in fact, was ornamented with 

 four small red spots in place of the smgle one, or at the most 

 two only of relatively larger size that are characteristic of 

 (MeoiiloiisKw LcicJxirdti. Quite recently, this last November, 

 I received from ^Ir. Jardine three perfect specimens, one of 

 moderate .size, 20^^ inches, and two small about 12 inches, that 

 completely si*bstantiate their claim for recognition as a distinct 

 species. The diagnostic characteristics of the Cape York 

 Peninsula and Dawson River species are placed side by side for 

 convenient comparison at the end of this communication, and 

 the broad distinctions which can be readily apprehended by any 

 ordinary observer may be thus summarised : — The cleft of the 

 mouth in the Cape York species is conspicuously more oblique, 

 while the posterior edge of the maxillary bone extends further 

 back than obtains in the Dawson River form. The number of 

 rays in both the dorsal and anal fins of the Cape York type are 

 considerably in excess of those of < hteoiiloxHum Leichaniti and 

 there is also the important feature that the last named fin is 

 destitute of the conspicuous spine that precedes the jointed rays 

 of the same fin in the southern fish. The colour marks, which 



