OF AUSTRALIA. 
G3 
rounded, of ten long rays, with three shorter ones on each 
side. The anal is short and has three very strong spines and 
six rays ; the first spine is the shortest, and the second the 
longest and thickest. The ventrals are long, rounded, formed 
of one spine and five rays. 
The pectorals are very large, being only contained two and 
. a-half times in the total length of the fish ; they are formed 
of fourteen branched rays ; the membranes are shorter than 
the rays. 
Preserved in liquor, the fish is of a light brown, becoming 
of a dirty white on the lower half of the head and on the 
anterior part of the belly. The body is marbled with darker 
brown, and the sides of the head have a carmine hue. A 
transverse, yellowish white band extends on the tail, and also 
on the anal and the soft part of the dorsal : on the anal it is 
marked even on the last two spines. The fins are variegated, 
with light and dark brown ; the ventrals have their lower 
surface whitish. I have only seen one specimen, which 
measures five inches. 
APLOACTISOMA. 
Body oblong ; compressed ; two dorsals united ; the first 
situated on the head, and formed of five spines ; the second 
long, with the first eight rays spinous, and the others deeply 
fringed. Skin very ruguous, covered with numerous but 
very short filaments, which have the appearance of short 
spines ; gills opening, being a rather long split before the 
pectorals. These are pediculated, large, and pronged ; ventrals 
inserted a little in front of the lower edge of the base of the 
pectorals, formed of one spine and two rays ; two dorsals, the 
first placed on the head, the second of eight spines and fifteen 
rays ; anal formed of one feeble spine and ten fringed rays ; 
three gills. Praeoperculum with three' strong obtuse spines ; 
operculum with several spinous ridges. The mouth is 
surrounded by numerous short tentaculse or filaments • the 
two jaws are covered with very numerous and small teeth, 
disposed in pavement ; each of these minute teeth is pointed ; 
those of the upper jaw are separated in the middle by a 
