154 



land by Porster, and in Western Port by Messrs. Quoy and 

 Gaimard. Cuvier and Valenciennes (vol. xiv., p. 305,) state 

 that it has thirty-four rays to the dorsal, but as all the thousands 

 of Strangers that are brought from "Western Port belong to the 

 same sort, I cannot but think there is some mistake in these 

 numbers. 



I had taken this sort for the Odax Semifasciatus (Cut. & Val., 

 v. xiv., p. 299), and I see that Eichardson has been of the same 

 opinion; but Dr. Grunther, finding that it has its prseoper- 

 culum entire, very properly distinguishes the Australian species 

 from it ; he also thinks that the Pull us of Cuvier and Valen- 

 ciennes is not the one of Bloch, which was brought by Porster 

 from New Zealand. 



ODAX OBSCUETJS. 



Height of body a little over four and one-half times in the 

 total length ; length of head three and three-quarter times in 

 same ; eye four and three-quarter times in length of head. 



The head is not protruded in so long a snout as in the first 

 species, and a longitudinal line passing through the centre of the 

 eye would be much nearer to the extremity of the muzzle than 

 to that of the operculum ; the profile of the head forms a rather 

 long oval ; the upper lip is rather longer than the other ; the 

 pr?eoperculum is very finely denticulated ; the lateral line ex- 

 tends to the base of the caudal, and is arched over the pectorals ; 

 it runs over about forty-five scales, these being much larger than 

 those of Sichardsonii. 



Dorsal of twenty-eight rays ; its height is equal in all its 

 length ; caudal rounded, of thirteen rays ; anal of fifteen ; pec- 

 torals rounded, of fourteen rays. 



The general colour is almost black with a purplish tinge ; the 

 upper part of the head is of a lighter brown ; on its sides 

 are numerous, narrow, flexuous red lines running longitu- 

 dinally ; eye of a beautiful red, with a broad exteral blue circle ; 

 dorsal and anal of a light blue colour, covered with oblique scarlet 

 lines ; it has also a broad black border ; the other fins black. 



Only seen once at the Melbourne Market, in the month of 

 December ; but it is probable that the following only constitutes 

 a variety of the same sort : — 



