IW THE QUEENSLAND MUSEUM. 7 
coloration of A. tceniatus as given by Jenyns* is equally applicable 
to the two Australian species. There are, however, several differ- 
ences, both of structure and habits, which can not be ignored 
between the American and the scaleless Australian members of the 
family. In the former the rayed dorsal fin is inserted close behind 
the ventrals and wholly in advance of the anal, the adipose fin is 
opposite to the anal; the pectoral is large, pointed, and asymmetrical, 
with 1 8 rays, the upper the longest, and inserted well up the side 
with a vertical base; and both species are inhabitants of fresh water 
only, Darwin, in his notes stating of A. tceniatus that " when put 
into salt water they immediately died."t In the Queensland £ species 
on the contrary the rayed dorsal is inserted mostly above, the adipose 
dorsal well behind the anal fin; the pectoral is small, rounded, and 
symmetrical, with 9 to 12 rays, the middle the longest, inserted 
almost on the ventral edge with a subhorizontal base, and both the 
Australian species are anadromous. In one character A. tceniatus 
approaches J. loeatherilli, namely — in both these species the ventral 
fins are inserted much nearer to the tip of the snout than to the 
base of the caudal, while in A. zebra it is midway between these 
points. Of Aplocliiton sealii we learn from its discoverer that it 
" has the same migratory habits as Hetropinna richardsonii " 
(= Hetropinna retropinna), that " it appears in the upper waters 
of the Derwent in large shoals during the months of October and 
November " and that " the females are then in mature ova," thus 
proving that they are true anadromous fishes, running up at a fixed 
season from the estuaries into the fresh water for the purpose of 
depositing their spawn. Our single example was taken in August, 
a season which, presuming, as is most probable, that it also is 
anadromous, would correspond in temperature with the Tasmanian 
October. 
* "Uniform greenish or olivaceous brown, the back and sides very minutely 
dotted with darker brown. There is a pale silvery band along the middle of the 
side, not bounded, however, by any definable line, but shading off insensibly into 
the brown above and below." 
f Jenyns, ibid., p. 133. 
t I only know Aplochiton sealii from Johnston's description, and as that author 
omits all reference to the position and shape of the fins, with the exception of the 
rather ambiguous statement " Dorsal situated rather in advance of vent and behind 
ventral fin," we are left in doubt as to whether the affinities of the species are with 
Aplochiton or Jenynsella ; the small pauciradiate pectorals, however, agree with the 
latter, while if for "situated" in the above quotation we were to read "originating," 
all doubt as to its generic identity with Jenynsella would be set at rest. 
