486 



interspace of the siipralateral spines and far behind the- 

 pectoral base.^^) 



Carapace uniformly granular in most larger specimens, 

 but in some, including all smaller examples, the scutes are 

 ornamented with radiating lines of larger granules. The 

 scutes are widely separated in front of the gill-opening, and 

 sometimes also on the abdomen near the vent. One or two 

 large saddle-shaped scutes are present behind the dorsal and 

 anal fins, and others form, a more or less complete ring around 

 the caudal peduncle. Dorsal and anal fins either somewhat 

 angular or rounded; caudal slightly emarginate, truncate, or 

 rounded. 



Colour. — Creamy-yellow in formalin, with a varying 

 number of dark lines which are more or less sinuous, and 

 anastomosing on the supero-posterior portions of the sides; 

 they are almost horizontal on the sides of the snout, and are 

 nowhere wider than the lighter interspaces. Bases of the 

 fins with oblique dark bars, their rayed portions plain. 



Described from eleven specimens, 77-205 mm. long; the 

 proportional measurements are those of the narrowest and 

 broadest specimens, one of the latter being figured. 



Loc. — Tasmania ; off the east coast of Flinders Island, 

 Bass Strait ; 40 miles w^est of Kingston, South Australia, 30' 

 fathoms; off the mouth of the Murray River, South Aus- 

 tralia, 20 fathoms; Gulf St. Vincent, South Australia; 

 Fremantle, Western Australia. 



.''Simplon" Station 2, 22 fathoms, and Station 5y 

 85 fathoms. 



Aracana aurita, Shaw, ( ? ) young. 



PI. xxi. 



Fourteen young examples, 22-47 mm. long, resemble A. 

 aurita in their general colour-marking. The smallest speci- 

 mens, one of w^hich is figured on pi. xxi., are almost globular, 

 with the sides a little compressed; the back and abdomen are 

 rounded. The scutes are very distinct and irregular; the 

 centre of each is elevated into a rounded tubercle, from which 

 raised ridges radiate towards the centres of each adjoining 

 scute, and fine radiating striae cover the entire surface. No 

 spines are developed, but their positions are indicated by 



(6) None of our specimens has a third infralateral spine below 

 or in advance of the pectoral fin, and they agree with Sliaw's 

 description and figure in this respect. Richardson figures two 

 specimens as A. aurita, in which, however, these spines are pre- 

 sent; as his illustrations seem to agree with Sliaw's species in 

 other details, it is probable that the presence or absence of these 

 spines is not of specific value. Ostracion quatuordecim aculeatus.. 

 Lacepede, also has subpectoral spines. 



