96 
SPHYE^NA. 
Though one sort of these fishes is found in the Mediterranean 
they may be considered as belonging more to the Avarm than to 
the temperate climates, the great majority of their sorts inhabit- 
ing below the tropics. 
SPHTE.®]<rA NOViE-HOLIiAM'DIJE. 
Sphyrsena novte-Hollandire, Gunther, Gatal., v. ii., p, 335. 
{The PyTce.') 
This sort is well described by Dr. Gunther, with the exception 
of the teeth, which are not those of the adult specimens, but of 
the young ones. 
Teeth of the upper jaw small, equal, numbering thirty-eight or 
forty on each side ; two pair of fangs, of which the posterior 
are much the largest and strongest ; the palatines have three 
small teeth at their posterior part, and seven strong ones more 
forward ; these are very acute and conical, the third of them 
being often a little longer than the others. At the lower jaw 
there are, in front, a strong fang on each side, and a dozen 
straight, acute, canine teeth placed on each side ; they are distant 
one from the other, small in front, and becoming larger as they 
extend backwards. 
The colour is of a slatey grey on the upper parts, with the sides 
and belly white ; the back and upper part of the head are some- 
times almost black ; the sides of the head and sometimes the 
lateral line have a copper tinge ; the fins are of an olive green, 
changing to yellow in some parts ; eye silvery. 
The fishmongers say that, some years ago, this fish used to he 
generally larger than noAV, and that it was quite common to get 
them over a yard long. It is only rarely that such specimens 
appear on the market. The Pylce is one of the best and most 
wholesome of the Melbourne fishes. I only find 126 to 129 
scales on the lateral line. 
NEOSPHYE^NA. 
This genus has entirely the general appearance of Sphyrcena, 
but the ventrals are situated almost under the pectorals ; the 
