OF AUSTRALIA. 
87 
APOCRYPTES MACROPHTHALMUS. 
The genus Apocryptes has been formed by Valenciennes to 
place fishes which, with the united ventrals of Gobius, have 
only one line of canine teeth at each jaw. The sort I here 
describe has the prominent eyes of Periopthalmus and of 
Boleophthalmus, but the body much more elongate, and the fins 
absolutely united, does not admit of it being placed with either. 
Height of body eight and a quarter times in the total 
length, or six and eight-tenths in the same, without the 
caudal .; head four times in the last dimension or five in the 
first; eye four and a half times in the length of the head • 
snout very convex, and a little longer than the diameter of the 
eye. The head is broad at its back part, being in this por- 
tion only contained once and a third in the length of the 
head; the upper jaw is a little longer than the lower ; the 
eyes are prominent, placed at the upper part of the head ; 
gape of the mouth nearly horizontal, and extending near 
to the line from the posterior part of the eye. Teeth strong 
canine-like, apart one from the other ; lower jaw with a series 
of rather short tentacular ; the entire fish is covered with very 
minute scales imbedded in the skin. The body is narrow 
compressed, not more than one-half the breadth of the head • 
it goes tapering to the extremity. The lateral line is deeply 
marked, as are also the muscular flakes. The anus is situated 
a little nearer to the snout than to the base of the caudal • 
the first dorsal is inserted in front of the anus, it is formed of 
five rays, the last of which are prolonged more or less, in 
filaments ; the second dorsal is very long, and is united with the 
base of the caudal ; it is rather high, formed of twenty-seven 
rays, the two first of which are rather prolonged in short 
filaments. Caudal lanceolate of fifteen rays ; anal united by 
a membrane to the base of the caudal, of about twenty-five 
rays; ventrals placed below the throat, in front of the 
pectorals, absolutely united, each being formed of one simple 
and of five branched rays ; they are not adherent to the belly 
Pectorals large, extending a little further than the ventrals, of 
eighteen or nineteen rays. 
G 2 
