108 



ZEUS AUSTKALIS. 



Zeus australis, Richard., Erebus and Terror, p. 36-136 

 pi. xsxv., fig. 1. 



(The John Dorey^) 



Height of body two and a-half times in total length ; head 

 three times in the same ; orbit five times in the length of the 

 head ; the lower jaw longer than the upper one, with the chin 

 rather prominent. When the mouth is extended, the distance 

 from the end of the lower jaw to the external angle of the orbit 

 is contained three and a-half times in the total length ; the 

 preeoperculum forms a slight angle at about one-third of its 

 length ; the operculum is prolonged in a flat, rounded angle, and 

 in some specimens that part, being denudated of the skin, forms 

 a strong bony point : the caudal portion of the operculum is 

 covered with radiant striae ; the body is covered with very minute 

 scales. The lateral line is strongly rounded to nearly two-thirds 

 of the body ; it from thence follows straight to the centre of the 

 base of the caudal. Along the root of the spinous dorsal there 

 is at the foot of each ray a spine, short, pointed, and directed 

 backwards. Along the base of the second dorsal there are gene- 

 rally six, sometimes seven, plates, each bearing a strong, arched 

 spine, directed posteriorly ; and on the four last there is another 

 spine, placed at the base of the others, shorter, and directed 

 externally. Along the soft anal there is also a series of plates, 

 numbering seven or eight; all, except the first, bearing an 

 extra spine, like those we have already mentioned. At the foot 

 of each of the three last spines of the first anal there is a rather 

 strong, single spine, and on the space between the root of the 

 anal and of the ventrals there is a double series of nine spines. 

 The first dorsal is formed of ten spines, the three or four first of 

 which are arched, and the others straight ; the third and fourth 

 are generally equal and longer than the others ; the membranes 

 between the first and second is lower than the others, and emits 

 a filament about as long as the first spine ; the membranes be- 

 tween the others also terminate in a filament ; those between 

 the second and third, and the third and fourth, are considerablv 



