Zoology."] 



NATURAL HISTORY OF VICTORIA. 



[Fishes. 



The following are the dimensions of an average specimen such as may commonly 

 be found in the market with the adult characters : — 



Measurements. 

 Length from tip of snout to distal end of caudal fin 



„ from tip of snout to middle of posterior edge of dorsal fin ... 



„ from tip of snout to end of body 



„ of caudal 



„ from snout to edge of preoperculum 



„ from snout to base of pectoral ... 



„ from snout to anterior edge of orbit 

 Antero-posterior diameter of orbit 

 Length of head from snout to edge of operculum 



„ from snout to anus 

 of pectoral 



„ of anal 



,, of ventral fin ... 

 Breadth between eyes ... 

 Depth of body in front of first dorsal ... 

 Greatest thickness of same below lateral line 

 Greatest height of dorsal at third spine ... 

 Height of last spine 

 Height of next branched ray 



Ins. 



lines 



24 







17 







20 



6 



4 



3 



4 



3 



6 



2 



1 



5 



1 



4 



5 



7 



14 







2 



7 



3 







2 



5 



1 



10 



6 







4 



2 



2 



2 







11 



1 



4 



Young specimens up to 3 or 4 inches long have the sides of the head behind the eye 

 and lower half of the body whiter and more silvery than the larger ones, with 2 or 3 

 longitudinal rows of round brassy spots, the length of the uncovered portion of two or 

 three scales in diameter ; the back and upper part of sides above the lateral line of a 

 brownish-grey olive, lighter than in older individuals, with from 15 to 17 distinct 

 transverse darker bands, only two or three of which show any indication of breaking 

 up into blotches or spots, as in the older individuals. Pectoral bright-yellow, with 

 black base ; caudal yellowish-olive ; snout brownish. The depth of the body varies 

 considerably at this size (from 3| to 4 times in length of body, without fin) ; the 

 length of head in each case being 3 J times in length without caudal fin. The thick- 

 ness also in each of these cases remaining constant for this size at one-eighth of the 

 length without caudal, although, of course, in the one case it was half the depth, 

 and considerably less in the other. Iris yellow. The denticulation of the pre- 

 operculum does not exist in this young stage on the posterior edge (thus agreeing 

 with Cuvier's Centropiistes truttaceus), although stronger, and terminating more 

 distinct and direct ridging on the low r er margin, than in the adult; and at this size 

 the diameter of the orbits equals the space between the eyes, as in Sir J. Richardson's 

 C. sala?; so that they grow proportionately smaller with age. 



To show the constancy of the fin-rays and scales in this species, I subjoin par- 

 ticulars of seven specimens in the National Museum of very various sizes : — 

















Scales. 









Dorsals. 



Anal. 



Caudal. 



Pectoral. 



Ventral. 









Length 



Specimens. 



Along 



Above 



Below 



from Snout 

 to tip 















Lateral 



Lateral 



Lateral 



of Caudal. 















Line. 



Line. 



Line. 























in. lines. 



1 



94-16 



34-10 



19 



16 



14-5 



54 



7 



17 



13 



2 



9 + 18 



34- 9 



20 



16 



14-5 



49 



7 



18 



10 6 



3 



9+16 



34-10 



21 



16 



14-5 



55 



7 



17 



19 



4 



94-16 



34-10 



20 



16 



14 5 



53 



7 



17 



15 9 



5 



94-16 



3+ 10 



20 



15 



14-5 



52 



6 



18 



8 3 



6 



94-17 



34-10 



20 



16 



14-5 



56 



7 



16 



24 



7 



94-15 



3 + 10 



20 



16 



1+5 



53 



6 



16 



5 



[20] 



