44 
ICHTHYOLOGY 
the soft part is formed of ton rays. All these fins are covered 
with scales on the greatest part of their length. Ventrals 
inserted below the pectorals ; their spine is long, rather 
slender, and bearing at its internal side notches having the 
form of scales ; there are five rays. 
The pectorals are large, formed of very thick rays, which 
have an articulated appearance ; they number thirteen, and 
their membranes are covered with scales. 
The height of the body is contained twice and one-third in 
the length to the base of the caudal ; the head three and a 
quarter times in the same, and the eye a little over foui times 
in the length of the head. 
The only specimen I have seen is imperfect ; it i seven 
inches long ; the colour in the dried state is uniform an of a 
light yellowish brown. I had dedicated this genus to the 
great Indian ichthyologist, Dr. Bleeker, of whom I have, 
during my travels in India, received so many marks of 
kindness, but I find that ) v r. Gunther had Iready given his 
name to a genus of fishes, and I thus find myself obliged to 
substitute to it the Kame of Lacepede, one of the founders of 
Ichthyology. 
APHRITBS URVILLII. 
Aphrites Urvillii, Guv. Vol., vol. viii., p. 484. 
This sort has been described by the authors as inhabiting 
the fresh waters of Tasmania ; but I have received several dried 
specimens from Bass's Straits, and so I consider it a sea-sort. 
Cuvier's description agrees entirely with my fish, except the 
first dorsal, which is described as having six spines, and is in 
my specimens composed of seven in one and of eight in the 
other; in both, the first is much shorter than the others. 
The genus is characterised by its cylindrical form, its 
double dorsal, the first portion of which is much shorter than 
the other ; its long anal ; its mouth is situated in a rather 
oblique way, the lower jaw being longer than the upper one ; 
its jugular ventrals ; its villiform teeth at both of the jaws, 
on the vomer and the palatines. It has no canines ; its 
operculums are entire. 
