208 



still, and which are only white striated tubercles : they are 

 placed, one on each side, towards the middle, and three on aline at 

 the beginning of the belly ; one is under, and a little behind, the 

 root of the pectoral, and the two others near one another and more 

 backwards; the entire carapace is very rough, covered with 

 small tubercles, disposed in long quadrilaters, but not radiant ; 

 the fins have eleven rays at the dorsal, ten at the caudal, 

 nine at the anal, eleven at the pectorals ; the caudal fin is rounded 

 at its extremity ; it is long, being equal to the length of the snout 

 from its extremity to the lower margin of the eye ; the height 

 of the body is contained one and a-half times in its length, to the 

 base of the caudal, and the distance from the end of the snout to the 

 upper base of the pectoral is contained twice in the total length 

 of the body, including the caudal ; the eye is contained two and 

 a-half times in the same distance ; on the belly pentagonal shields 

 are well marked, they have an internal line and a small tubercle 

 in the centre ; on this part (the belly) there is no other rugosities 

 or tubercles ; the posterior part is not covered by the carapace, 

 and is smooth. 



The upper and lateral parts of the body are of a dark purple, 

 eovered with numerous white, narrow, longitudinal lines, running- 

 all round the body : these are sometimes united two together 

 or are interrupted ; on the cheeks they number four, having 

 between them five purple ones broader than the others ; the 

 belly is of a beautiful uniform orange colour; the fins have 

 a light yellow tinge, without any spots ; the eye is yellow. 



The teeth are in small numbers, spaced, but rather large and 

 conic. I have seen two specimens of this beautiful little sort — 

 one caught in the cold and the other in the warm season ; each 

 was two inches long. It is evidently nearly allied to Ostracion 

 Auritus, that I have received from Swan River, and which has 

 exactly the same colours, but appears different ; I thought it might 

 be the young of that species, but I have lately received from Tas- 

 mania (Hobart Town) , under the name of Coio-Jish, a specimen of 

 Auritus, only two inches six-eighths long, in which the arched 

 spines are stronger even than those of the adult specimens, six 

 inches long; it is still nearer allied to Omata (Gray), from 

 Adelaide, but it is also distinct from it by its spines, the anterior 

 profile of the head falling still more abruptly, &c. 



