68 
In the “ Zoological Record ” for 1872, Dr. Gunther remarks: 
“ Aphritis dumerili. To this species appears to belong Pseuda- 
phritis bassii. . . As I am unable to find any description 
of the former species, I am not in a position to verify or 
contravene this supposition. 
It is strange that neither of these fishes have as yet been 
recorded from the coast of Victoria, since, while both species 
are found in Tasmania, A. urvillii extends westward to South 
Australia, and as is here shewn A. bassi ranges north-eastward 
to New South Wales. 
With the exception of the fin and scale formulae the 
description is taken from the fresh specimen. 
From the examination of the examples in this Museum a 
revision of the generic diagnosis, as defined by Dr. Gunther, 
becomes necessary, and would stand as below : — 
Aphritis. 
Aphritis, Cuv. & Val., Hist. Nat. Poiss. viii. p. 483 (1831). 
Pseudaphritis , Casteln., P.Z.S. Vic. i. p. 92 (1872). 
Branchiostegals six : pseudobrancliise present. Body elongate, 
cylindrical. Opercle with a small spine : preopercle entire. 
Cleft of the mouth oblique : lower jaw the longer. Eye lateral. 
Teeth villiform, on the jaws, vomer, and palatines. Two 
separate dorsals, the first with seven or eight spines : the anal 
with two semi-detached spines : ventrals jugular : all the 
pectoral rays branched. Scales moderate, finely ctenoid, 
entirely covering the head. Air-bladder wanting : pyloric 
appendages in small number. 
Fresh and brackish waters of Tasmania, South Australia, 
and the southern rivers of New South Wales. 
Aphritis bassi. 
Pseudaphritis bassii, Casteln., loc. cit. ; Macleay, Catal. Austr. 
Fish. i. p. 200. 
B. vi. 1). 7-8. 19-22. A. 2/22. V. l/o. P. 18. 0. 14. 
L. 1. 61-63. L. tr. 6/15. 
The length of the head is four and two-fifths, the height of 
the body, which is greatest beneath the middle of the first 
dorsal, six and four-fifths in the total length. The diameter 
of the eye is five and one-third in the length of the head, and 
equal to" that of the snout, which is obtusely rounded ; the 
slightly grooved interorbital space is four-ninths of the 
diameter of the eye. The greatest width of the head is 
rather less than half its length. The cleft of the mouth is 
moderately oblique, and the lower jaw is slightly the longer. 
The maxilla reaches to beneath the anterior third of the eye, 
