BY J. DOUGLAS OGILBY. 
323 
Tropidostethus rhothophilus, sp.nov. 
B. vi. D. 4. 1/15. A. 1/23. Y. 1/5.' P. 14. C. 17. Vert, 
15/29. 
Length of head five to five and a half, height of body five in 
the total length. E}^e situated near to the dorsal profile, its 
diameter three to three and a half in the length of the head, 
and four-fifths of the flattened interorbital space; snout obtuse 
and convex, rather less than the diameter of the eye in length; 
the upper jaw slightly projecting. Spinous dorsal situated above 
the vent, and midway between the tip of the snout and the base 
of the caudal fin; soft dorsal commencing above the anterior third 
of the anal; caudal forked, its length six and three-fifths to six 
and three-fourths in the total. 
General colour gray (pale straw-yellow in spirits), so closely 
dotted with minute brown specks as to give it a brownish appear- 
ance when newly caught; a broad silvery lateral band, margined 
above by an emerald streak; the ventral edge faintly tinged with 
green. Occiput with a large cuneiform emerald spot, the acute 
portion extending forwards between the eyes; a brown spot con- 
tained within its anterior half; nostrils pierced in an emerald 
spot; supraorbital region tinged with pale green. 
These little Atherinids were first observed by Mr. Thomas 
Whitelegge at Maroubra Bay* during the month of March, 1893, 
but the specimens which he brought back to the Museum, being 
considered immature, were not critically examined on that 
occasion. Their reappearance, however, in large shoals along the 
coast during March of the present year induced us to investigate 
more closely their habits, mode of life, and such other points in 
their economy as could be observed; this difficult task has been 
ably carried out by Mr. Whitelegge, with the result that though 
the shoals have been on the coast from March until the date of 
writing — July 31st — there is no appreciable difference in size, 
* Between Port Jackson and Botany Heads. 
V 
