IN THE QUEENSLAND MUSEUM. 
9 
lobe shorter than the head, 3| to 3f in the total length ; least depth 
of caudal peduncle f to f of its length behind the adipose fin. 
Pectoral fin with 11 soft rays; the spine similar to that of the dorsal 
but stronger and more strongly serrated behind, If to If in the 
length of the head. Ventral fin obtusely pointed, its length 2 in 
that of the head, not quite reaching to the anal fin. Yent nearer to 
the ventral fins than to the anal. Grill-membranes meeting at a 
very obtuse angle, the free margin narrow ; gill-rakers 3 + 8, the 
longest about f of the diameter of the eye. Axillary pore minute. 
Dull leaden blue above, the sides and abdomen silvery; upper 
surface of head violet-brown ; outer half of adipose fin dark brown; 
caudal yellowish. [Gained for Mr. Kendall Broadbent, explorer and 
-collector.] 
Length to 410 millimeters. 
Type in the Queensland Museum. 
Cape York, Queensland. 
The specimens, three in number, from which the description is 
drawn up, are in the Queensland Museum, and were collected many 
years ago by Mr. Kendall Broadbent, who has done such good work 
in elucidating the richness of the Queensland fauna. They are 
unfortunately in bad condition, having been partially skinned and 
deprived of the vertebral column,* and I have not, therefore, 
been able to make so accurate an examination as was desirable under 
the circumstances, but the characters given above are sufficiently 
distinct to justify its separation from Tacliysurus macrocephalus,"f 
which is its nearest ally. This species, which was originally 
described from two examples taken at Batavia, and which are indeed 
still unique, agrees with Tacliysurus broadbenti in the large size of 
the head and the deciduity of the vomerine teeth; but differs from 
our species in the arrangement and shape of the groups of palatine 
teeth, which, according to both the description and figure given by 
Bleeker in his ; ' Atlas lchthologique " are strongly convergent 
posteriorly, instead of being parallel to one another; it also differs 
* I would like to impress on collectors of fishes and reptiles that, no matter 
how great the difficulties of transport may be, at least one example of each species 
should be left intact ; it is infinitely preferable to have one perfect specimen than a 
dozen imperfect. 
f Arius macrocephcdus Bleeker, Verh. Batav. Gen., xxi, 1846, p. 40, Batavia; 
Gunther, Catal. Fish., v. p. 105, 18G4. 
Ariodes macrocephalus Bleeker, Ichth. Arch. Ind. Prodr., Silur. p. 85 ; and 
Atl. Ichth., ii, p. 39, pi. lviii, 1862. 
Length to 460 millimeters. 
Type in the South Kensington Museum. 
Java. 
