1889.] NEW TO THE AUSTRALIAN FAUNA. 153 
the eye to the base of the ventral fin; remainder of the body and 
the fins, with the exception of the spinous dorsal, which is crimson, 
golden ; irides purple, with an inner ring of gold. 
On carefully comparing this description with that of Dr. Bleeker, 
we find that the following important differences occur :—(1) the 
arrangement of the teeth in the jaws, which can by no exercise of 
ingenuity be stated to be “ dentibus pluriseriatis ;” (2) the absence 
of a lateral canine in the lower jaw ; (3) the absence of denticulations 
on the sub- and interopercles ; (4) the greater number of scales on 
both lateral and transverse lines, and especially that between the 
former and the origin of the dorsal fin, which Bleeker computes at 
two or three, while in our example six are plainly visible; (5) the 
deep notching of the interspinous membrane ; (6) the shortness of the 
ventral fins and the non-prolongation of the outer ray of each lobe 
of the caudal fin as shown in Dr. Bleeker’s figure, characters which, 
however, may possibly be sexual; and (7) the greater length of the 
third anal spine than the second. Regarding the length of the ven- 
tral fins, if we turn to the figure in the ‘ Atlas Ichthyologique’ (tome 
vii. Pere. tab. xi. fig. 1) we find by measurement that the elongate 
second ray reaches exactly to the origin of the anal fin, and not to 
the posterior anal rays—‘‘radio secundo producto radios anales 
posteriores attingente “—as stated in the letterpress; on the other 
hand, however, we see a vast difference in the height of the first 
dorsal spine, which is delineated as but little more than half the 
height of the second, and barely two fifths of that of the third, 
whereas in our example the variation in length is hardly recognizable. 
Notwithstanding, however, the apparent importance of these differ- 
ences, we cannot consider it desirable to describe as new a fish which 
otherwise agrees so accurately with the original diagnosis, especially 
when the coloration, so far as we know, unique in this genus, is 
exactly similar in the two known specimens. 
Our example measures three and four fifths inches, and is there- 
fore about three fifths of an inch smaller than Dr. Bleeker’s type. 
It was obtained last April on Lord Howe Island by Mr. E. H. 
Saunders, who found it dead, but quite fresh and perfect, on the 
beach, and the colours given are those jotted down on the spot by 
that gentleman. 
ANTHIAS PLEUROTANIA, Blk. 
Bivit. » DI.10/17-18, : Ai3/7..V. 1/5. P. 18, C. 15. 
L. 1. 48-49. L. tr. 6/18. 
The length of the head is from four and two thirds to four and 
seven eighths the height of the body, three and a half times in the 
total length. The diameter of the eye is contained three and three 
fourths times in the length of the head; the snout is very obtuse 
and measures five sevenths of the diameter of the eye, while the 
interorbital space, which is strongly convex, slightly exceeds the 
same. The dorsal profile is much more curved than in the preceding 
species, but the ventral curve is very much the same; the upper 
surface of the head is obliquely straight. The lower jaw projects 
