the Ichthyology of Australia. 177 



are crenated on their obliquely truncated crowns only. The eye is 

 more elevated than in the mata, and the descending limb of the pre- 

 operculum slopes much more forwards to meet the much shorter 

 horizontal limb at an obtuse angle : the corner of the bone is slightly 

 rounded, and its surface is marked by six or seven diverging lines. 

 The opercular, scapular, and humeral (coracoid) bones are conspi- 

 cuously furrowed, but no streaks or ridges are visible upon the sub- 

 operculum, very small interoperculum or cranium. 

 Rays :-D. 9|26 ; A. 3|24 ; C. 16| ; P. 15 ; V. 1|.5. 

 The first dorsal spine is small, and not easily detected except by 

 dissection ; it stands on the fore-part of a subglobular interspinous 

 bone, and acts as a trigger to the second spine, which is articulated 

 to the same bone, the mechanism bearing much resemblance to that 

 of the dorsal spine of a Monacanthus. The other spines lengthen 

 gradually as they approach the jointed rays, becoming at the same 

 time more slender. The first anal is small, short, and so much en- 

 veloped by integument that it is very likely to be overlooked. Tlie 

 scales on the body are small and strongly ciliated ; those on the 

 head and breast are smoother and still smaller. The lateral line is 

 parallel to the back until it assumes a straight course through the 

 tail along the upper lip of the lancet sheath. 



Colour of the dried specimen dark yellowish-brown, deepening to 

 chestnut-brown on the head and about the gill-opening. The pec- 

 torals are pale, the other fins dusky brown, the anal and posterior 

 part of the dorsal being deeper. There are five dark longitudinal 

 streaks on the dorsal, and some lines more faintly traced on the 

 border of the anal, both these fins being also very narrowly edged 

 with black. An indistinct pale bar crosses the base of the caudal, 

 and there are some very faint transverse lines on the distal end of 

 the fin. 



Dimensions. inches, lines. 



Length from upper teeth to tips of caudal lobes 9 8 



— ends of central caudal rays 8 11 



— base of caudal lancet 7 



beginning of anal 3 11 



beginning of dorsal 2 7 



ventral spine 2 7 



gill-openings 2 



pectorals 2 



eye 1 7 



Diameter of eye 5+ 



Heightofbody 3 3" 



first dorsal spine 4 



eighth ditto 1 



longest articulated rays of dorsal 1 1 



• third anal spine 10 



soft rays 1 



Length of central caudal rays 1 4 



projection of upper falcate caudal tip 9 



• projection of lower ditto G 



Length of caudal lancet 7 



pectorals 1 10 



ventvals 1 5 



Ann. ^ Mag, N. Hist, Fb/.xi. N 



