175 



GALAXIAS. 



G-enus formed by Cuvier in his " Regne animal," on a sort 

 brought from Tasmania by Peron and Lesueur. Since then, 

 several other Australian species have been described by Richard- 

 son. This form inhabits also the extreme southern portion of 

 the American Continent; and Dr. Grunther unites several of 

 these American sorts with those of Australia, the propriety 

 of which is very unlikely with fresh-water fishes. 



It is to be remarked that Cuvier and "Valenciennes, in describ- 

 ing their Galaxias Fasciatus, state that it is from New Zealand ; 

 but that the specimens were given to Messrs. Lesson and G-arnot 

 at Conception in Chili, by whalers, who had probably salted them 

 for their food, and this may have led to some confusion. 



It is said that some of the American sorts live amongst the 

 seaweeds ; the Australian fish inhabit the rivers, and those of 

 the Tarra only extend their habitat a little below Melbourne, to 

 the place where the water becomes brackish. 



GALAXIAS OCELLATTTS. 



G-alaxias ocellatus, M'Coy, Inter. Exhibit. Essays, 1866-67, 

 page 14. 



(Yarra Trout.) 



This is very nearly allied to the Tasmanian sort Truttaceus , 

 Cuvier. The body is short and thick for the genus ; the head is 

 convex over the eyes ; the height of the body is contained 

 five and one-third times in the total length ; the head five and 

 two-third times in the same. The dorsal has eleven rays, of 

 which the first one is very short, the next two longer, but much 

 shorter than the others ; the caudal is entire and rounded, of 

 fifteen long rays, with two or three shorter on each side ; the 

 anal is large, of fifteen rays, of which the first is very short ; the 

 ventrals are nearer to the anal than to the pectorals ; they are 

 formed of seven rays, and the pectorals of fourteen. 



The body is of a light olive green, with the belly grey ; it 

 is covered with iridiated, round, oscellated black spots ; the sides 

 of the operculum have a golden tinge ; the fins are of the general 

 colour of the body ; the pectorals are white ; the eye is green, 

 speckled with black. 



River Tarra. Length, 6 inches. 



