190 



This little fish is very abundant at times in the Melbourne 

 Market ; its length is about four inches. 



The specimens studied by the French ichthyologists were 

 brought from Sydney by Quoy and Gaymard, and I find in Mr. 

 Gerard Krefft's very interesting " Eeport on Australian Verte- 

 brata," (Intercolonial Exhibition, 1870), that at Sydney it bears 

 the vernacular name of Sprat. 



Nota. — There is no doubt that this is the Meletta Novee-Hol- 

 landce of Cuvier and Valenciennes, but it is very doubtful if it is 

 the Clvjpea Ncvce-Hollandice of Dr. Gunther, as this very accu- 

 rate author not only describes the insertion of the ventrals as 

 being below the anterior half of the dorsal fin ; but also places 

 it amongst the sorts having minute teeth on the palate. 



SYMBBANCHID^]. 



" Body elongate, naked or covered with minute 

 scales; barbels none. Margin of the upper jaw 

 formed by the intermaxillaries only, the well- 

 developed maxillaries lying behind and parallel to 

 them. Paired fins none. Vertical fins rudimentary, 

 reduced to more or less distinct cutaneous 

 folds. Vent situated at a great distance behind the 

 head. Gill-openings confluent into one slit, situated 

 on the ventral surface. Air-bladder none. Stomach 

 caecal sac or pyloric appendages. Ovaries with 

 oviducts. 



" Eresh waters and coasts of tropical America 

 and Asia. Coasts of Western Australia and Tas- 

 mania." 



Only represented in the Australia waters by Chilobranchus 

 Dor sails, Eichardson ; which I have not seen. 



