130 Dr. Richardson on the Ichthyology of Australia. 



the tail ; it is marked by two (or more ?) divergent tubes on eacli 

 scale. 



Colour. — The head is yellowish brown, changing on the lower 

 half of the cheek and gill-cover to a flesh-tint. The back down to 

 the lateral line, is crimson, the parts beneath primrose-yellow. Be- 

 tween the nape and caudal lin eleven, irregular, interrupted bars of 

 yellowish brown descend obliquely forwards from the back ; those 

 which proceed from the base of the second dorsal pass the lateral 

 line a little way ; the anterior and jjosterior ones are shorter. The 

 caudal is very pale ochre-yellow, without spots. The other fins are 

 colourless, and seemingly transparent ; they are also without spots, 

 except the dorsals, which are marked by oblique rows of round brown 

 spots, each spot being nearly as wide as the space between the rays. 

 There are two rows on the first dorsal and five on the second, but 

 these are not complete ; for as the lower anterior row terminates, 

 from its obliquity, at the fifth ray, another row commences on the 

 edge of the fin, and the same thing takes place when the second row 

 terminates at the thirteenth ray, so that there are only three rows 

 in any one part of the fin. There is a blue patch on the scaly base 

 of the 23ectoral. 



Percis Emeryaxa [Nob.), Emery's Percis. 



No. 22. Lieut. Emery's drawings. 



The drawing was made from a fish procured at Depuch 

 island ; it measured seven inches. 



In form this Percis resembles cylindrica, but it is still more length- 

 ened. Its height being one- seventh of the total length, caudal in- 

 cluded, remains nearly the same from the occiput to the posterior 

 third of the dorsal, when it begins to taper gradually into the trunk 

 of the tail. The head is depressed before the eye, but it is altogether 

 shorter, and the snout more obtuse than that of cylindrica. The 

 teeth are strongly marked on the jaws. In the radiating semicir- 

 cular form of the spinous dorsal, as well as in the notched caudal, 

 this fish resembles a Trachinus. The spinous dorsal has five rays, 

 and the third and fourth being the longest, its outline is much arched : 

 its membrane ends exactly at the base of the first soft ray. The 

 articulated part of the fin and the final are of equal height through- 

 out, and rather exceed half the height of the body. The posterior 

 corner of the anal is slightly rounded. The caudal is notched to a 

 third of its length, and its lobes are acute. The pectoral is trun- 

 cated, the spinous dorsal commences immediately over its base, and 

 the elliptical ventrals are aflixed a little more anteriorly. The anus 

 is vmder the fourth jointed ray of the doi-sal, and the anal begins a 

 ray further back. 



Rays : — D. 5|21 ; A. 16 ; V. 5 (the spine not being expressed). 



Colour. — In the markings of the body this species comes near 

 semifasciata, but it differs widely from it in the form of the head, 

 body, and spinous dorsal, as well as in the number of rays of the 

 soft dorsal. The general tint of the back and upper half of the sides 



