1G6 EDIBLE FISHES OF NEW SOUTH WALES. 



Queensland, Yielnria, or Tasmania, nevertheless, an (Oenient of uncertainty 

 on this subject is imparted by the fact that the British INLuseum possesses a 

 specimen from Kangaroo Island, and the only recognised island of that name 

 lies off the coast of South Australia 



This Catfish grows to a length of thirty inches. 



Family II.— SCOPELIDJE. 



Branehiostegals generally numerous : psendobrancliia' well developed. 

 Margin of upper jaw formed by the premaxillaries. Opercular apparatus 

 sometimes incomplete. Gill-openings very wide. Barbels absent. Two 

 dorsal lins, tlie posterior adipose. IScalcs present or absent. Eggs enclosed 

 iu the sacs of the ovaries, aud excluded by oviducts. Intestinal canal short. 

 Airbladder present or absent. Pyloric appendages normally few. 



Gf'oqraphical distribution. — Pelagic or deep sea fishes, cliielly of the tropical 

 and temperate zones. 



Genus.— AULOPUS. 



Aulopus, Cuvier, Eegne Anim. 



Branehiostegals numei'ous: pseudobranchiic well developed. Gill-openings 

 very wide. Head and body rather elongate, slightly compressed. Cleft of 

 moutli very wide : maxilla well developed, dilated posteriorly. Eye o£ 

 moderate size. Teeth small and cardiform, present on the jaws, vomer, 

 palatine and pterygoid bones, and on the tongue. Dorsal fin situated mid- 

 way along the body, rather elongate, with fifteen or more rays, some of the 

 anterior being produced into a long filament in the male : a small adipose 

 dorsal : anal of moderate length : ventral and pectoral fins well developed, 

 the former with nine rays, and inserted close behind the pectorals, beneath 

 the anterior dorsal rays : caudal forked. Scales of moderate size. Air- 

 bladder absent. Pyloric appendages in small numbers or numerous. 



Geo(jraphical distribution. — Seas of temperate Australia; Mediterranean 

 aud the neighboring parts of the Atlantic. 



AULOPIJS PURPUEISSATUS. 



Aulopus purpnrissatus, Eichards. Icon. Pise. p. 6, pi. ii. fig. 3, 1S43; Gnth. 



Catal. Fish. v. p. 403; Casteln. Proc. Zool. Soc. Vict. 1872, i. p. 172 ; 



McCoy. Prodr. Zool. Vict. dec. vi. pis. 54, 55 ; Macleay, Catal. Austr. 



Fish. ii. p. 157 ; AVoods, Fisher. iN. S. Wales, p. 82, pi. xxxv. 

 Aulojms milesH, Cuv. & Val. Hist. Nat. Poiss. xxii. p. 511), pi. dcl. 



Sergeant Baker. 



Plate XL. 



B. xiv.-xv. D. 19-21. A. 12. V. 9. P. 11. C. IS. L. lat. 49. L. tr. 5/7-8. 

 coec. pyl. numerous. Vert. 32/ IG. 



Length of head 3-75-4-10, of caudal fin 5 50-G-OO, height of body G-OO-G-33 

 in the total length. Eye rising above the upper surface of the head, its 

 diameter 5'20-5'5() in the length of the head, l'GO-1'80 in that of the 

 moderately long and pointed snout, and l'C0-l"33 in the interorbital space, 

 which Vi deepl}^ concave. Kostrils large and approximate, the anterior 

 circular and with a broad, skinny valve on its hinder margin ; the posterior, 

 oval, horizontal, and jjatent. Tpper profile of head, along the median line, 

 flat. Lower jaw very slightly projecting. Cleft of mouth large and oblique, 

 the maxilla extending to beneath the posterior margin of the eye or a little 

 beyond it. Both jaws with a band of cardiform teeth, the inner series being 



