the Ichthyology of Australia. 



129 



dently differs from all that are described in the < Histoire des 

 Poissons/ but the figure expresses the generic form so exact- 

 ly, that I have no hesitation as to the genus, though no scales 

 are depicted on the side of the head, nor a spinous point in- 

 dicated on the operculum. It is banded on the sides like Sil- 

 lago maculata of MM. Quoy and Gaimard, which inhabits 

 Port Jackson, but it wants the silvery lateral stripe, shows 

 spots on the dorsals, and has a higher and more elliptical 

 body than that species. 



The profile is a lengthened ellipse, or, taking in the trunk of the 

 tail, is fusiform ; its greatest height, lying about midway between 

 the ventrals and anal, is somewhat less than a fifth of the total 

 length, caudal included. The outline descends in a flat regular 

 curve from the first dorsal to the end of the snout, which is ren- 

 dered obtuse only by the thickness of the moderately swelling lips- 

 The mouth, situated at the apex of the subcorneal head, is on a low 

 level, the under surface of the head being flattish. The curve of the 

 belly is not quite so prominent as that of the back. The length of 

 the under limb of the preoperculum, and its breadth downwards, 

 characteristics of the genus, are well expressed in the figure. There 

 are, however, no scales shown on the cheeks or opercular pieces, nor 

 any spine on the gill-flap. The length of the head is equal to one- 

 third of that of the fish, caudal excluded. The eye is situated near 

 the profile, and rather nearer to the end of the snout than to the 

 gill-opening. Its diameter is equal to one- seventh of the length of 

 the head. The nostrils are situated high up, very near each other, 

 and somewhat further from the end of the snout than from the orbit. 



The commencement of the first dorsal, the acute tip of the gill- 

 flap, the pectorals and the ventrals, are in the same vertical line. It 

 is probable that a short incumbent ray at the beginning of the dorsal 

 has been overlooked. In the drawing the first ray is the tallest, the 

 others decrease gradually to the tenth, which has only one-fifth of 

 the height of the first. The shape of the fin is triangular, its mem- 

 brane terminating exactly at the base of the second dorsal : its height 

 is equal to two-thirds of the height of the part of the body directly 

 beneath it. The second dorsal lowers very gradually as it runs 

 backwards, the last ray being only one-third shorter than the first, 

 which is the tallest, and is as high as the seventh spine of the first 

 dorsal : its outline is even. The anal is opposite to the second dor- 

 sal ; it is a little lower, but corresponds with it in form, except that 

 it has a short spine at its commencement. The caudal is slightly 

 lunate on the margin. The pectoral measures one-sixth of the 

 length of the fish, and terminates in an acute upper point. The 

 ventral is also acute, but wants the filiform tip which exists in some 

 Sillagos. 



Rays : — D. 10|(11 ?) — 20 ; A. l|21 ; P. l|5, &c. 

 The lateral line is less curved than the back, and is traced a little 

 above the middle height anteriorly, but runs through the middle of 

 Ann. $ Mag. N. Hist. Vol. ix. K 



