59 
THEEA.POK NISEE. 
{Murray Black Perch.) 
D. 12/12. A. 1 . 0. 17. P. 15. L. lat. 89. L. tr. 14/28. 
Height of the body three and one-half times in the total 
length ; head four and two-thirds in the same ; eye four 
and one-third in the length of head. Superior profile con- 
siderably arched, much more so than the lower one ; upper 
surface of the head naked, the other parts covered with 
scales; priBorbital strongly denticulated; prseoperculum with 
its posterior edge rather emarginated, and covered with 
very strong spines, particularly long on the rounded part, 
and becoming much smaller on the lower edge, where they are 
reduced to small denticulations ; operculum terminated by two 
bunches of flat spines, the first of two and the second of six ; the 
suprascapula and the caracoid are very strongly denticulated. 
The lateral line is very irregularly formed, passing sometimes in 
the centre and sometimes on the edge of the scales ; the num- 
bers we have mentioned only relate to the numbers of transverse 
series it crosses ; it does also extend on the base of the caudal. 
The dorsal is received in a longitudinal sulcate of the back ; its 
spines are strong ; the three first are shorter than the others ; 
the membranes of the soft part have each a longitudinal patch 
of scales placed near the rays, and extending to more than 
one-third of the height of the fin. The caudal is emarginated ; 
it is covered at its base with scales of the same nature as those 
of the body, and others, much more minute, cover the membranes 
on all their first half. Anal with its spine large and striated ; the 
spine of the ventrals strong, striated, and longer than the half of 
the length of the fin. 
The back is grey, but appears dark on account of all the scales 
having a rather broad, black margin ; the lower part of the body 
is of a dirty, yellowish white ; the fins are grey ; the posterior 
part of the caudal black. 
Prom the Murray Eiver, but scarce. Length of specimen, 
16-| inches. This sort must be nearly allied to the Therayon 
Unicolor of Grunther {Oatalogue). 
