OF AUSTRALIA. fe I 
lowest is arched, with its point upwards ; the vertex spines are 
very small, almost deficient ; the diameter of the orbit 
contained four times in the length of the head ; the scales of 
the body are smaller than in Percoides ; the dorsal is con- 
siderably lower, the third spine being contained over three 
times in the length of the head • the soft portion of the fin is 
more equal, the last rays being two-thirds the length of the 
first ones. 
The general colour, on the dried specimens, seems to have ' 
been of a dirty orange-yellow, marbled with brown, the body 
having broad transverse bands of the last colour ; the dorsal is 
almost black, the soft portion being bordered with white ; the 
caudal of the last colour, with a very broad transverse dark 
band occupying about one-half of its length ; the anal is 
reddish, marbled with brown ; the ventrals of a bright orange ; 
the pectorals of the same colour, with a transverse brown 
band. 
A very small specimen from Hobson's Bay, and a fine one, 
fifteen inches long, from Tasmania. 
I have dedicated this sort to Mr. Moreton Alport, of Hobart 
Town, who has done so much for the cause of acclimatisation. 
MELANICHTHYS SIMPLEX. 
I have obtained another specimen, similar to the one I 
described last year. I find its proportions similar to those of 
Tricuspidata, and it only differs from it by its teeth, which 
are square at the end. The specimen is evidently young, and 
is only eight inches long. 
MELANICHTHYS BLACKII. 
Body oval, with its height contained three times in the total 
length of the fish ; head four and a-half times in the same 
dimension ; diameter of the eye four times in the length of 
the head ; teeth with three points ; prasoperculum scaly ; 
operculum naked, except on its upper external portion ; it has 
a rather strong point ; scales of the body rather small, 
numbering fifty-three or fifty four on the longitudinal line, and 
about thirty-two on the transverse one ; dorsal having fifteen 
