1 88 FISHES OF AUSTRALIA. 



at once definitely settle any doubt that there may be, as 

 those fins arc absent in all Hels. It is a small fish, of a few 

 inches in length, occurring on portions of the coastline of 

 New South Wales and Queensland, living in the mud on 

 the banks of the lower portions of the rivers. According 

 to Castelnau, who described this species, the colour in life 

 is a deep purple-red with a series of pale spots down the 

 middle line of the body ; the fins being dark with pale edges. 

 Though as I have inferred, this fish is distinctly Eel- 

 like ; still the long dorsal and anal fins are comoletely separ- 

 ated from the caudal fin. 



