443 



a little less than the interorbital width, which is 2'9-3"5 in 

 the head. Fifth dorsal spine 1'6-1'8, and second anal spine- 

 l-8-2'l in. the head. 



Colour. — Yellow, with six broad longitudinal brown 

 stripes on the body ; on the upper half these are much broader 

 than the light interspaces, and in large specimens the three 

 upper ones may each be divided into two. Head with similar 

 stripes, most of which do not connect with those of the body, 

 being separated from them by a light transverse bar on each 

 side of the nape. 



This species is very similar to A. strigatus, Giinther, but 

 is deeper, and has usually twelve instead of eleven dorsal 

 spines. The stripes on the body are broader, and an extra 

 one is developed in A. latus, while they are not all connected 

 with those of the head, as in .4. strigatus. In all other 

 details, the two species are very similar. 



This definition is drawn up from four specimens in the 

 Australian Museum collection, 105-218 mm. long- from the 

 snout to the end of the middle caudal rays. A specimen 

 212 mm. in length is selected as the type. 



Loc. — The two smaller examples, including that figured, 

 were obtained at Norfolk Island, where Mr. Lea also took 

 specimens, while seven larger ones were secured at Lord Howe 

 Island, together with examples of A . strigatus. 



SCORPIS VIOLACEUS, Huttoil. 



Hard-bellied Blue Fish. 



Ditrema violacea,, Hutton : Trans. X. Zeal. Inst., v., 1873 r 

 p. 261, pi. viii., fig Slh. 



Scorpis aequipinnis, Ogilbv : Mem. Austr. Mus., ii., 1889. 

 p. 56; Ogilbv: Proc. Linn. Soc. X.S. Wales, (2), ii., 1887, 

 p. 992; Waiter Trans. X. Zeal. Inst., xlii., 1910, p. 381 

 (not of Richardson). 



Caesiosoma aequipinnis. Waite : Rec. Austr. Mus., v., 1904, 

 pp. 167, 206. 



An examination of a series of specimens of Scorpis shows, 

 that several well-differentiated species have been united under 

 the name S. aequipinnis. Richardson's species has very small 

 scales, there being more than 100 series above the lateral 

 line, and it is confined to South and South-western Australia. 

 The New South Wales form is S. lineolata, Kner., while 

 specimens from Lord Howe Island and Norfolk Island are 

 apparently referable to S. violaceus. Larger specimens of 

 the last-named species are readily distinguished from those of 

 S. lineolata, bf their much more convex interorbital area 

 and their smaller eye, while seven specimens have x. 27-29 

 spines and rays in the dorsal fin, and iii. 25-27 in the anal. 



