EDIBLE FISHES OF NEwTsOL'TH WALES. 175 



In habits, food, &c., this Garfish differs in no way from the preceding, hut 

 it has not so extensive a range, the tropical and subtropical parts of 

 Australia being so far the only recorded habitat of the species. On our own 

 coast it is abundant at least as far south as Illawarra, but beyond that place 

 the limit of its range is undefined. It is not recorded from Yictoria or 

 Tasmania ; there is a specimen from West Australia in the British Museum. 



The River Garfish rarely exceeds twelve inches in length. 



HEMIEHAMPHUS SCLEEOLEPIS. 



Arrhamplius sclerolepis, Gnth. Catal. Pish. vi. p. 260, 186G ; Macleay, Proe. 

 Linn. Soc. N. S. Wales, ii. p. 364, and Catal. Austr. Pish. ii. p. 184. 



Semirhamphus Jcrefftii, Steindachn. SB. Ak. Wien, 1867, Ivi. p. 332, pi. i. 



Sliort-beaked Garfish. 



Plate XLIV. 



B. xi. D. 13-15. A. 15-17. Y. 6. P. 13-14. C. 15. L. lat. 48-53. L. tr. 9. 



Yert. 31/17. 



Length of head 4G6-4-85, of caudal fin 5-40-5-SO, height of body 7-00 

 to 7"56 in the total length : breadth of body 1"33-1'50 in its height : the 

 length of the lower jaw beyond the extremity of the upper is equal to that 

 of the latter measured along the median line, which is r66 in its breadth at 

 the base. Diameter of eye I'GG in the postorbital portion of the head, 

 1"50-1'G6 in the distance between its anterior margin and the tip of the 

 upper jaw, and 1"25-1'50 in the interorbital space, which is very slightly 

 convex. Height of preorbital equal to its length. Maxilla expanded behind, 

 completely concealed posteriorly by the preorbital when the mouth is 

 closed, not extending to the vertical from the middle of the nasal fossa, 

 which is subcircular in shape and broadly enters the eye. Both jaws with 

 a broad band of small tricuspid teeth. The distance between the origin of 

 the dorsal fin and the base of the caudal is 3'45-3'60 in that between the same 

 point and the tip of the upper jaw, and a little less than the length of the 

 head without the lower jaw ; the anterior dorsal rays are equal in length to 

 those of the anal, and are five sixths of the distance between the origins of 

 the two fins : the anal commences slightlv in front of the origin of the 

 dorsal, and the bases of the two fins are of equal length : ventral moderate, 

 the distance between its origin and the base of the caudal but a fraction less 

 than that between the same point and the tip of the lower jaw ; its length 

 equal to that between the orbit and the upper angle of the base of the 

 pectoral : pectoral pointed, its length equal to the height of the body, and 

 1 "50-1 "66 in the length of the head : caudal fin moderately forked, the lower 

 lobe the longer : the least height of the pedicle 2"25 in the height of the 

 body. Scales everywhere persistent. Lateral line tubes with small branches 

 inferiorly. 



Colors. — Bright green above, the head darkest, pale green below ; sides 

 with a broad well defined silveiy band. 



The Short-beaked Garfish occurs occasionally in large numbers during the 

 winter months among consignments sent to market from our northern rivers. 

 Those which we have examined in August had the roe very slightly developed, 

 and we may therefore conclude that the deposition of the spawn takes place 

 during the earlv summer months. 



