193 



Yery much like Ausiralis, and generally confounded with it 

 by the fishmongers. The differences consist in the following : — ■ 

 1st, the body is thicker. 2nd, the tail is broader at its end. 

 3rd, the skin is much more rough. 4th, the pectorals are con- 

 siderably larger, and the cleft of the mouth is not more than 

 two -thirds their length. 5 th. the dorsal begins on, or a little 

 below the line of the anal, but there is sometimes a little difficulty, 

 with all these fishes, to ascertain correctly where a fin begins. 

 6th, the teeth are shorter, thicker, and more blunt, particularly 

 those situated towards the interior of the mouth. The lips are 

 broader, more fleshy, and extend laterally ; the colour is almost 

 black, with the lower parts of a dark grey ; the lips are of a 

 reddish pink, and the eye is yellow with orange tinges. 



From Western Port, and, I believe, also from the Mordialloc 

 river. Average size from twenty to twenty-two inches. 



CONG-EE. 



Grenus formed by Cuvier, but now restricted to three or four 

 sorts, characterised by the absence of scales ; the dorsal fin com- 

 mencing behind the base of the pectorals, and the jaws armed 

 with an external series of closely set teeth. 



CONGEE WI1SONI. 



G-ymnothorax wilsoni ? Block; Schneid., p. 529. 

 This sort attains very large dimensions, and its average size is 

 from four to five feet long. It is sometimes found in Hobson's 

 Eay, but appears to be much more frequent near Hobart Town, 

 being often brought salted from thattoAvnto the Melbourne Mar- 

 ket. The height is about twenty times in the length, and the dis- 

 tance from the anterior end to the opening of the gill is contained 

 about eight times in the same. The head is elongate ; the teeth 

 are all similar ; they are elongate, straight, blunt, and placed 

 very near one another ; they form a small cluster in front of the 

 jaws, the anterior ones being smaller than those placed back- 

 wards. Inside of this line of teeth, there is a sharp, crenulated 

 and ossified ridge. The tongue is smooth. The lateral line is 

 well marked to the end of the body ; it is rather curved over 

 the pectorals, and, on the dry specimens, appears formed of a 

 succession of notches. The dorsal fin begins behind the pectoral, 



