the Ichthyology of Australia. 



387 



posed of several ^smooth ridges, which radiate from a longitudinal one 

 and enclose five or six pits : its lower obtuse point, covered with 

 warty integument, projects partly over the limb of the maxillary : 

 behind this a shorter but acute point projects downwards. The 

 second suborbitar, running backwards and rather downwards from 

 the middle of the first one, above the last-mentioned point, rises 

 into an obtuse conical eminence under the cheek, from whence a 

 strong ridge is continued to the angle of the preoperculum. A much 

 less conspicuous ridge runs to the base of the preopercular spine, 

 and a forked one tends upwards in the direction of the posterior 

 frontal plate, to which it is joined by a fold of skin or a mucous canal 

 representing the posterior suborbitars. 



The lower limb of the preoperculum is somewhat arched, and the 

 upper one straight and slightly inclined backwards ; the angle they 

 form rather exceeds a right one, and at their junction there is a flat, 

 obtuse, projecting point covered with warty skin. Three smaller 

 points similarly covered exist on the lower limb ; and from the lower 

 third of the ascending limb there rises a conical obtuse point, from 

 behind which there issues a spine that inclines backwards over the 

 anterior ridge of the operculum. In the 4 Histoire des Poissons' it 

 is stated of Syn. brachio, that " aucune des pieces de la tete n'est epi- 

 neuse." In our specimen the preopercular spine is a quarter of an 

 inch long, and has the usual translucency of a spinous point, although 

 it appears, like the other bony projections on the head, to have been 

 well covered with warty skin in the recent fish. Three cylindrical 

 ridges, like ribs, radiate from the base of the operculum, shine 

 through the integument, and end in obtuse points a little within the 

 verge of the skinny border of the gill- cover. A fourth ridge or rib, 

 apparently belonging to the suboperculum, runs obliquely from un- 

 der the tip of the second opercular ridge to the tip of the upper one, 

 supporting the little tapering flap which forms the extreme point of 

 the gill-cover, and lies over the upper angle of the branchial open- 

 ing. These parts having been sewed up in preparing the specimen, 

 I am unable to ascertain with certainty whether there be actually a 

 small ring above this tip, as in S. horrida, or merely a loop or angle 

 of the gill- opening, but am inclined to believe that the latter was the 

 case. 



The skin, when moistened, becomes mucous and spongy. The 

 lips are fringed by many short, divided filaments, those on the lower 

 jaw being mostly palmated. On the extreme edge of the snout, near 

 the upper point of the suborbitar of each side, there is a little simple 

 barbel. The body is studded with soft, rounded, wrinkled warts, 

 each having a firm central point. These warts are largest on the 

 shoulder, and become much smaller, and are further apart, on the 

 belly. The skin, for a finger's breadth along the base of the dorsal, 

 has few or no warts. The lateral line is furnished with about twelve 

 thick, sessile, wart-like cirrhi, the last of which is placed on the basal 

 quarter of the caudal, between its middle rays. 



Rays :— B. 7 ; P. 16 ; V. 1|5 ; D. 13|6 ; A. 3|5 ; C. 13. 



Seven branchial rays can be counted on the left side of the fish, 



