130 



but they are united by their membrane ; the first is composed of 

 three spines and the second of thirty-six, four or five of which 

 are branched rays, but it is difficult to well indicate their number, 

 as they seem to pass gradually one to the other ; the caudal has 

 twelve long rays ; the anal twenty-six rays and two spines. The 

 pectorals have twelve rays, and the ventrals three, the centre one 

 much longer than the other two, and divided almost to its base. 



The colour is subject to much variation ; in one specimen, it is 

 green, with the lower parts of the head and the belly yellow ; the 

 latter is covered with minute black points ; the prseoperculum 

 presents numerous transverse lines, formed of red and black 

 spots, which are disposed in rather a radiant way. On the back 

 part of the second dorsal the rays are spotted with red ; the 

 caudal is yellow, with its rays marbled with red, and near its 

 base are two rounded, brown-red spots ; the anal is yellow, 

 marbled with purple, and the prolonged parts of the rays are 

 red. The ventrals and pectorals are yellow ; the last has six or 

 seven transverse lines of carmine spots ; the lower portion of the 

 operculum and the throat are covered with carmine points ; the 

 eye is green, spotted with black, and surrounded by an external 

 white ring. 



In other specimens the colour is brown, marbled with blotches 

 of a rather darker colour. Over the eye, there is a small plumi- 

 form tentacle, of a green colour. 



I have only seen few specimens of this fish, which appears to 

 belong to Cristiceps, at least as much as does Argentatus. 



CEISTICEPS. 



Cuvier and Dr. Grunther separate from Clinus, and under the 

 above name, the species which have a first dorsal fin separated 

 from the second, and placed generally more forward than in 

 the other sorts. 



This is evidently an artificial character, and these species ought 

 only to form a division in the genus Clinus. The greater number 

 of the sorts are found in Australia. Several have been described 

 by Cuvier, Yalenciennes, and Dr. Grunther, but the only two I 

 have seen at Melbourne appear different from all. 



In his extraordinary tendency to consider, as belonging to the 

 same species, fishes found in the most remote parts of the world, 



