30 



NOTES OX SOME AUSTRALIAN PIPE-FISHES. 



D.36-43. Body segments 16-18. Head 2.3-2.8 in the length from the tip of the snout to the 

 vent. Head and body 1.3-1.7 in the tail; the latter longer in males than in females. Snout 0.6- 

 1.0 longer than the rest of the head. Dorsal fin placed on eleven or twelve body-rings, and six 

 to eight tail rings; the position of the vent is well behind the middle of its length. Pectoral 

 short and broad, a little longer than the eye, which is half or slightly less than half the postor- 

 bital portion of the head. A minute anal fin is present in both sexes. Operculum crossed by a 

 horizontal ridge. Nostrils close together, near the eye, the anterior tubular. Snout with a few 

 raised ridges, none of which are prominent. 



Mule. — Body subcylindrical, scarcely broader than deep, with the angular ridges but little ele- 

 vated. The pouch is large, and occupies fifteen to eighteen tail-rings. Colour: pale green, 

 closely speckled with microscopic black dots. Each segment of the abdomen with a more or less 

 distinct patch of black dots on the median line. Lower surface of snout with two longitudinal 

 dark bars extending backward to behind the eye. 1 



Female. — Body strongly depressed, adults being twice as broad as deep ; the sides are pro- 

 duced outwards into a sharp edge. The other angular ridges are but little elevated as in the 

 male. Colour : upper surface pale green closely speckled with microscopic black dots which are 

 largest on the sides where they almost coalesce. Outer edge of expended sides and abdomen 

 deep pink, the latter crossed by pale blue lines which bear minute black dots. Breast with one 

 or two broad dark cross-bars which are represented on each abdominal segment by a black dot 

 placed near the margin on either side. Tip of snout white, chin pink; lower surface of snout 

 with two dark longitudinal bars extending back behind the eyes. 



S. argus differs from the specimens described above in having a much larger number of dor- 

 sal rays, and the vent being placed under or before the middle of the dorsal fin. The snout is 

 also more than twice as long as the rest of the head, and the colour marking is very different. 



Locality. — Thouin or Wineglass Bay, Tasmania, 11 fathoms; 13th April, 1914. 



II. Description of a new genus and species. 



Genus HISTIOGAMPHELUS, gen. nov. 



This genus differs from Syngnalhus chiefly in the development of a high ridge on the upper 

 surface of the short snout. Dorsal placed above the vent, its base elevated above the back. Tail 

 longer than the head and body, quadrangular, with a well developed caudal tin. Large pectorals 

 and a minute anal fin present. Upper ridge of the body not continuous with that of the tail, 

 which overlaps but does not join the mediolateral ridge. Latero-inferior ridge of the body con- 

 tinuous with that of the tail. No ridge on the operculum. 



Type. — H. briggsii, sp. nov. 



HISTIOGAMPHELUS BRIGGSII. sp. nov. 

 (Fig- 4-) 



D.23 ; P.13; C.io; Body-rings 22; Tail-rings 36. Head 4.6 in the length from the tip of the 

 snout to the vent. Snout three-fifths as deep as long, 1.1 in the remaining part of the head. 

 Eye 2.5 in the snout. Tail 0.3 longer than the head and body. Caudal fin 3 in the head. 







life-. 



Fig. 4. 



