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. Perc. 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 pleurot^nia, Blk. 

 B. vii. D. 10/17-18. A. 3/7. V. 1/5. P. 18. C. 1.5. 

 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 m.uch 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 



