112 



This fish is not very rare ; and is esteemed as food. It 

 appears now and then in the Melbourne Market, in all seasons 

 of the year. Average length, from 15 to 20 inches. I have 

 several times found a large quantity of sand in its stomach. 



I have, unfortunately, not been able to compare this sort with 

 the Japanese species, the work in which the latter is described not 

 being obtainable in Melbourne. 



RICHARDSOKEA. 



The fish on which I propose to establish this new genus is 

 very similar, in general appearance, to Histiopterus, but its denti- 

 tion is very different. Here, we have two different sorts of 

 teeth — those on the sides of the mouth being true molars, short, 

 thick, globular, disposed on four irregular lines on the upper jaw, 

 and on three at the lower ; in front, there is a considerable 

 number of other teeth, conical and pointed, disposed in a cluster 

 on both jaws. The three first spines of the dorsal are very short, 

 and the anal has only two spines. 



EICHAEDSONIA INSIGWIS. 



D. 7—17. A. 2/10. C. 17. P. 18. V. 1/5. 



The general form is almost exactly similar to the one of His- 

 tiopterus, but the body is more convex on the back, and the 

 muzzle, formed by the anterior part of the head, is much shorter. 

 The height of the body is a little less than the third of the total 

 length ; the head is contained nearly three aud two-third times 

 in the length of the body, the orbit is contained six and a-half 

 times in the length of the head. The lips are very thick, and 

 covered with tubercles ; the chin is also very rough ; the muzzle 

 being very short, the slant upwards of the profile begins much 

 nearer to the mouth, and the nostrils are situated on this snout ; 

 the posterior edge of the praeoperculum and the one of the 

 operculum are serrated ; the edge of the first is also transversely 

 striated ; the bony plates, that cover a great part of the head, 

 are very deeply striated ; the strice are disposed in radiations, 

 and not punctated ; the cheeks are covered with numerous, 

 small, round scales, having each a tubercle in the centre. 

 Suprascapula and caracoid very strongly sulcated ; the scales of 

 the body are very small and numerous ; they number about one 

 hundred and ten on the lateral line, which follows the profile of the 



