the Ichthyology of Australia. 



385 



rather large ; the orbit being a little more than one-fourth of the 

 length of the head, and somewhat less than its own diameter from 

 the end of the snout. There is a strong recumbent spine on the 

 nasal bone, and perhaps a smaller one on the mesial line of the ver- 

 tex, but the superciliary ridge appears to be quite unarmed, the 

 figure merely showing a double row of dark dots or pits. The pre- 

 orbitar presents three angular corners, touching the limb of the max- 

 illary, and the preoperculum four on its curved under limb, the second 

 being more prominent and conical than the others. The infra-orbitar 

 ridge is not marked as it crosses the cheek, and two small eminences 

 are the only indications of the lateral occipital ridge. The temporal 

 ridge, as in the other Sebastes, is not visible. There are two short 

 opercular spines separated by a small sinus. The scales are only 

 partially marked on the body, and on the head they are shown on 

 the gill- cover and upper part of the preoperculum only ; but from 

 Solander's phrase * squamis tectum,' we may infer that the head is, 

 as 'in the other Sebastes, extensively scaly. 



The dorsal is steeply arched at the beginning, and but slightly 

 notched at the eleventh spine, which is only a little shorter than the 

 twelfth : the third and fourth are the tallest, and are equal to half 

 the height of the part of the body over which they stand : the 

 eleventh is half their height, and the first still shorter ; the membrane 

 slopes much behind each spine. The soft part of the fin rises higher 

 anteriorly than the tallest spines, and becomes lower behind. Its 

 corners are rounded, and its margin slightly concave. The lower 

 pectoral rays are thick, and project beyond the membrane. The 

 caudal is slightly concave on the margin, with rounded corners. 



The tints partially laid on the sketch are red and lake, with much 

 orange, olive, and yellowish green. The head is marbled with olive 

 and red. The blotches formed on the dorsal by the ends of the 

 transverse bands are irregular, and do not reach the margin of the 

 fin. On the spinous dorsal and pectoral there is much dark dotting 

 not noticed in the following description : — 



" Scorp^na percoides. Piscis pedalis vel infra, dilute rubicundus, 

 fasciis quinque fuscis : prima per basin capitis ; secunda in medio 

 pisce ; tertia paulo pone secundam ; quarta inter partem posteram 

 pinnae dorsalis et analem, superne bifida; quinta ad basin pinnae 

 caudalis. Oculi magni, vicini, pupilla nigra, iris incarnato-argentea. 

 Caput sordide rubescens, subtus pallidum, squamis tectum : lamina 

 posterior postice plumbea. Pinna dorsalis colore dorsi, eodemque 

 modo fasciata. Pinnae pectorales latissimae, extus basi macula mag- 

 na, fusca, et in medio fascia obsoleta, subolivacea. Pinnae ventrales 

 rubicundae. Pinna analis rubicunda extus pallidior. Pinna cauda- 

 lis rubicunda, basi dilutior." (Solander.) 



Synanceia trachynis (Nob.), Rough-vomered Hog-fish. 



No. 8. of Mr. Gilbert's collection. 



According to the observations of the collector, this species 

 is not very abundant at Port Essington. " It is mostly seen 



