THE VICTORIAN NATURALIST. 125 



is situated between the ventral fins, in front of, instead of behind 

 the series of abdominal scutes, as in the members of the genus 

 Trachichthys, a position which Dr. Giinther considered as " very 

 extraordinary and probably abnormal." 



The specimen here dealt with was quite fresh when received, and, 

 excepting a slight injury on one side of the snout, was in perfect 

 condition. It differs from the description of the type in that it 

 has thirteen instead of eleven abdominal scutes, a character which 

 coincides with Waite's specimen. Hutton, however, states that 

 each scute is armed with a strong spine " directed backward." 

 In both Dr. Gilnther's and Arthur's figures the spines are also 

 shown directed backward. In the Victorian specimen the first 

 three and last five spines are directed backward, while the middle 

 five are directed forward, a character I have not seen mentioned 

 before. 



Family CENTRISCID^. 



Centriscus scolopax, Linn., var. elevatus, Waite. 

 Linn., Syst. Nat., ed. xii., 1766, i., p. 415. 

 Day, Fish. Great Brit, and Ireland, i., p. 249, pi. Ixix., 



1880-84. 

 Macrorhamphosus scolopax, Goode and Bean, Ocean. 



Ichth., Sp. Bull. U.S. Nat. Mus., p. 483, pi. cxvii., f. 



396, 1895. 

 Macrorhamphosus scolopax, var. elevatus, Waite, Mem. 



Aust. Mus., iv., p. 59, pi. vii., f. i, 1899. 



Bellows Fish. 



This fish has derived its vernacular name from its peculiar 

 compressed shape, its long spout-like snout, and short tail. 



Four or five species are known, and of these three have been 

 recorded from Australian waters. C. acolopax occurs occasionally 

 on the south coast of England, and more commonly in the 

 Mediterranean and Japanese seas. Waite has recorded it from 

 New South Wales, Allport and Johnston* from Tasmania, and it 

 is now recorded for the first time from Victoria. The specimen 

 was found washed up on the beach at Queenscliff in June last, 

 and presented to the Museum by Mr. T. C. Yorkins. 



During the trawling expedition of the Thetis off the coast of 

 New South Wales in 1898, Mr. Waite found this species to be 

 quite common, although not previously recorded, and states that 

 altogether about fifty specimens were taken, in depths ranging 

 from 23-84 fathoms. He draws attention to the greater length 

 of the second dorsal spine and the greater height of the body in 

 the Australian as compared with the European specimens, and 

 separates the former under the varietal name " elevatus.'" 



* Johnston, Proc. Roy. Soc. Tas., p. 255, 18S4, 



