668 DR. A. GONTHER ON NEW FISHES [Nov. 21, 



gin of the orbit. The vent is twice as distant from the extremity of 

 the caudal as from the snout. The dorsal fin commences above the 

 posterior half of the pectoral, and is lower than the body ; caudal 

 fin rounded. The anal commences immediately behind the vent. 

 Pectoral half as long as the head. Ventrals close together, reduced 

 to a pair of fine filaments about as long as the eye. Body brownish, 

 marbled with darker, sides of the head with small round yellowish 

 spots ; a black yellow-edged ocellus in the scapulary region ; an 

 undulated yellowish line along the middle of the nape and head; 

 fins greyish. 



One specimen, 3 inches long (no. 364), from the Godeffroy Mu- 

 seum ; it was obtained at Port Mackay (North-east Australia). 



Halidesmus, g. n. 



This genus may be referred to the group Brotulina, of the family 

 Ophidiidce. 



Body elongate, compressed, band-like, covered with minute scales, 

 and with three lateral lines on each side. Eye of moderate size. 

 One long dorsal and anal, not continuous with the caudal. Ventrals 

 reduced to a pair of short filaments, close together, scarcely in front 

 of the pectorals. A series of conical teeth in each jaw, none on the 

 palate. Lower jaw somewhat projecting beyond the upper ; barbels 

 none. Six branchiostegals ; gill-opening wide ; pseudobranchise 

 none. No anal papilla. 



Halidesmus scapularis. (Plate LXVII. fig. B.) 



D. 64. A. 48. C. 11. V. 2. 



The height of the body is one sixteenth of the total length (with- 

 out caudal), the length of the head one tenth. Snout as long as 

 the diameter of the eye, which is one fifth of the length of the head. 

 The maxillary does not extend to below the middle of the eye ; 

 mandibulary joint below the posterior margin of the orbit. The 

 teeth are comparatively strong ; there are a few smaller ones behind 

 the principal series with which each jaw is armed. Beside the late- 

 ral line which runs along the median line of the fish, there is another 

 along the base of the dorsal fin, and a third along the base of the 

 anal. The latter is split up into two branches opposite to the vent, 

 one branch following the median line of the abdomen, and the other 

 running along the side of the abdomen ; the two branches are re- 

 united below the pectoral. The vent is twice as distant from the 

 root of the caudal as from the end of the snout. The dorsal fin 

 commences above the extremity of the pectoral, is not quite as high 

 as the body, and subcontinuous with the caudal. Caudal fin rounded, 

 nearly as long as the head. The anal fin is distinctly separated from 

 the caudal. Pectoral fin well developed, as long as the postorbital 

 part of the head. Each ventral reduced to a very small and short 

 filament, which, however, contains two rays. Brown, fins black ; 

 an ovate deep-black spot in the scapulary region, above the pectoral 

 fin. 



