42 
ICHTHYOLOGY 
spines, the first ones being the shortest, and the others going 
increasing backwards — the soft part is longer than the other, 
and formed of twelve rays j caudal large, entire, not 
emarginated behind, but rather rounded at its extremity ; anal 
with three spines, the first being the shortest and the third the 
longest— the soft part is high, similar to the one of the dorsal, 
and formed of twelve rays ; the spine of the ventrals is strong 
and straight ; the pectorals have eighteen rays. 
The colour, on the dried specimen, seems to have been of a 
uniform light brown, with the lower parts of the body more 
yellow. 
The specimen is four inches and a half. 
I have dedicated this sort to Dr. T. Black, who for so mauy 
years has been the President of the Acclimatisation Society 
of Victoria, as a just tribute to his devotion to science, and 
the many services he has rendered to it in this part of the 
world. 
The Australian group of fishes to which this one belongs 
seems to form a small natural family, that I would propose to 
call the Melanichthidce and which would be principally 
characterised by its trifid teeth. It would be composed of 
Melanichthys (Girella, Gunth.), Melambasis (Neotephrceops, 
Cast.), and Tephrceops. The Girella Zonata of Dr. Gunther 
(Catal, vol. i., p. 429), seems to me to be the striped variety 
of Mel an. Tricuspid that I mentioned in the " Proceedings " 
of last year. 
LACEPEDIA. 
Prseoperculum strongly serrated, operculum entire, but 
with a strong point ; teeth of the upper jaw numerous, fine, 
cardiform, on several series, and forming in front two bunches 
of larger ones directed backwards. In front of these teeth, 
there are, at the anterior part of each jaw, two canine teeth ; on 
the palatines, a transverse band of strong teeth ; at the lower 
jaw the teeth are also cardiform and on several series, but 
some much larger ones are placed at the back part ; in front 
are also two strong canines, one on each side ; the fins, in 
great part covered with scales ; dorsal unic with eleven spines,, 
