77 



LATEIS. 



This genus was established by Sir John Richardson, in the 

 third volume of the " Transactions of the Zoological Society," 

 and in his account of the fishes brought to England by the Expe- 

 dition of the Erebus and Terror he gives the figure of a second 

 species, already named Giliaris by Eorster in his manuscript 

 notes, which have been since published by Lichtenstein. Richard- 

 son also thinks that another of Forster's sorts, on which Bloch 

 (edit. Schneider, page 341,) has established his Cicla Lineata, 

 ought to be placed here. This latter seems to be very nearly 

 allied to the second sort I describe, under the name of Latris 

 Forsteri; but it is said that the sailors gave it the name of Yellow 

 Tail, which could never have been applied to my sort ; it was 

 found in great quantities on the coast of New Zealand. 



The different species of this genus are edible, and even con- 

 sidered great delicacies. 



LATEIS HECATEIA. 



Latrie hecatei, Richard., Proceed. of the Zool. Soc, 1839, p.|99. 

 Transac. v. iii., p. 106, pi. 6, fig. 1. 



(Holart Town Trumpeter,} 



Grey, with the back rather darker ; three or four broad longi- 

 tudinal bands extend all along the sides of the head and body ; 

 belly of a dirty white ; the dorsal fin is of a dark colour, as well 

 as the caudal ; the other fins are generally of a dark yellow. 



This sort is frequently found on the southern coast of Tas- 

 mania, and it has also been met with in Bass's Straits, and is acci- 

 dentally caught in Hobson's Bay. Its name is derived from the 

 singular noise it produces. It is said that some specimens are 

 nearly three feet long ; it is the dearest and most esteemed fish 

 of the Melbourne Market. Large quantities are also brought 

 salted from Tasmania. 



LATEIS EOBSTEEI. 



(Bastard Trumpeter?) 



The height of the body is not quite three times in the total 

 length ; the head is four and a-half times in the same ; the 

 orbit is contained four and a-half times in the length of the 



