112 
This fish is not Tory rare ; and is esteemed as food. It 
appears now and then in the Melbourne Market, in all seasons 
of the year. Average length, from 15 to 20 inches. I have 
several times found a large quantity of sand in its stomach. 
I have, unfortunately, not been able to compare this sort with 
the Japanese species, the work in which the latter is described not 
being obtainable in Melbourne. 
EICHAEDSONIA. 
The fish on which I propose to establish this new genus is 
very similar, in general appearance, to Histiopterus, but its denti- 
tion is very different. Here, we have two different sorts of 
teeth — those on the sides of the mouth being true molars, short, 
thick, globular, disposed on four irregular lines on the upper jaw, 
and on three at the lower ; in front, there is a considerable 
number of other teeth, conical and pointed, disposed in a cluster 
on both jaws. The three first spines of the dorsal are very short, 
and the anal has only two spines. 
EICHAEDSONIA INSIHNIS. 
D, 7—17. A. 2/10. C. 17. P. 18. V. 1/5. 
The general form is almost exactly similar to the one of His- 
tiopterus, but the body is more convex on the back, and the 
muzzle, formed by the anterior part of the head, is much shorter. 
The height of the body is a little less than the third of the total 
length ; the head is contained nearly three and two-third times 
in the length of the body ; the orbit is contained six and a-half 
times in the length of the head. The lips are very thick, and 
covered with tubercles ; the chin is also very rough ; the muzzle 
being very short, the slant upwards of the profile begins much 
nearer to the mouth, and the nostrils are situated on this snout ; 
the posterior edge of the praooperculum and the one of the 
operculum are serrated ; the edge of the first is also transversely 
striated ; the bony plates, that cover a great part of the head, 
are very deeply striated ; the stria are disposed in radiations, 
and not punctated; the cheeks are covered with numerous, 
small, round scales, having each a tubercle in the centre. 
Suprascapula and caracoid very strongly sulcated ; the scales of 
the body are very small and numerous ; they number about one 
hundred and ten on the lateral line, which follows the profile of the 
