56 
with much larger spines on its lower margin ; these spines are 
flat, and separated in diflPerent series, those nearest to the mouth 
being directed forwards. The operculum is only and feebly 
serrated in its lower portion ; it is ended posteriorly by two 
rather long spines, the first always simple, and the second the 
longest, and sometimes bifid. The suprascapula and caracoid 
finely serrated. 
The scales of the body small, and finely ciliated ; the dorsal 
spines strong ; the first being very short, and the fifth the longest 
of all ; the soft portion of the dorsal much higher than the spiny 
one with its membranes covered to more than one-third of their 
length with minute scales ; caudal rounded ; the spines of the 
anal very strong, the second by far the strongest of the three ; 
ventrals with a strong, straight spine ; their first ray prolongated 
and bifid. 
When fresh, this fish is adorned with most beautiful colours. 
The body is of a magnificent green ; the sides are golden, as is also 
the upper portion of the body behind the dorsal. The head pre- 
sents a beautiful mixture of green, purple, yellow, and scarlet, 
with fine golden tinges ; the belly is white ; the dorsal fin is ol 
a purple green ; the anal scarlet, with its base yellow and its end 
purple ; the pectorals are scarlet at their base, and yellow in 
their second half ; the eye is purple, with an interior white ring. 
These colours are subject to great variations, and the belly is 
sometimes red. 
The young fish is much more elongate than the adult, and has 
little of the fine hues of the latter. The hack is green, with the 
sides and belly yellow ; the upper part of the head and the oper- 
culum are purple ; the dorsal is grey, with its soft portion 
bordered with black ; the caudal and anal similar ; the spines of 
the latter are pink ; the pectorals and ventrals are yellow. 
This sort is much esteemed for the table. It often weighs five and 
sometimes seven pounds. It appears to le common in the Murray 
and in the other rivers of Eiverina. I am in great doubt if it is 
not the Buies Ambiguus of Eichardson and Gunther ; but the 
numerous specimens I have examined have all one ray less at the 
anal, and also less scales on the lateral line. In Eichardson’s 
figure {Brehv.s and Terror, pi. xix.,) the lower prseopercular 
spines are also much smaller and more regular. 
