52 LOPHOBKANCHII. 



1. Leptoichthys fistularius, Kp. 

 Typblus fistularius, Bibron. 



Descr. — This highly interesting species is possessed solely by 

 the Paris Museum, to which a female example was sent by Quoy 

 and Gaimard. In its very long snout it accords with Syngnathu's, 

 Siphonostomus, Doryrhamphus, and more particularly with Stig- 

 matophora. By its six-sided roundish body it resembles Ner- 

 ophis; but its unwontedly long thin snout and developed fins 

 distinguish it at the first glance from all the other Lophobran- 

 chii. Head oval, occipital shield small, and a furrow com- 

 mencing at the orbit accompanies the rostral crest. Up to the 

 anus there are 27 body-rings, 24 of them before the dorsal, which 

 stands on 9 rings, 3 of them belonging to the body. The tail is 

 four-cornered, higher than it is broad, and composed of 24 long 

 nngs. Colour yellowish-brown, with a black cross band on each 

 ring ; ventral piece of the pectoral ring and the gill-cover silvery. 



Entire length 22 inches. Length of snout 1*97 inch ; of head 

 and snout 2 - /6 inches ; of dorsal fin 1*97 inch ; of tail 9 - 4o inches. 

 The middle ray of the caudal, though it is assuredly not entire, 

 is 091 inch long. 



Uad.—V. 21 • D. 37 ; A. 3 ; C. 10. 



It inhabits King George's Sound. Until we become acquainted 

 with the male fish, it is difficult to classify this species. It may 

 possibly belong to the Nerophince, or it may be the type of a 

 peculiar subfamily. 



Genus 9. STIGMAT0PH0RA, Kp. 



Diagn. — A pectoral fin, but no caudal one. 



Descr.— A thin acutely ridged snout, greatly prolonged in the 

 same line with an even and nowise elevated head, has its mouth 

 directed upwards. The snout, head, and gill-cover are finely 

 shagreened, and the head is divided into irregular bucklers by 

 sunk lines ; but the nuchal shield and breast-ring are not so 

 divided, though the latter is separated on its dorsal aspect into 

 two shields, whilst on its ventral aspect it tapers to a point 

 without division. Three rays support the anal fin. The body 

 is broader than it is high, and the dorsal fin, which is unusually 

 long, stands on 19 rings. Tail heptangular to its finely tapering 

 point. In the head, snout, and general form this genus is con- 

 nected to the others, which have five fins. It is only by its fin- 



