62 
was obtained by Messrs. Quoy and Gaimard in the same locality with 
Mr. Neill’s, and the latter accords perfectly with it; but I am per¬ 
suaded that the references in that work referring to Solander and For¬ 
ster’s accounts of a New Zealand species ought to he struck out. 
Some notices of the discrepancies between the memoranda of these 
authors and the history of Ch. carponemus in the 4 Histoire des Pois¬ 
sons’ have been given in the ‘Zoological Transactions,’ vol. ii. p. 101, 
and since the date of that publication the examination of various 
Australian specimens has strengthened the reasons I had for coming 
to that conclusion. 
The Cheilodactyli do not accord well with the typical Scicenidce, 
and the evidences of the ptenoid structure of their scales are often 
deficient, the teeth on the disks becoming perfectly obsolete, and none 
existing on the margins of the scales of any species we have examined. 
In Mr. Neill’s specimen the length of the head is contained four and 
a half times in the total length of the fish, in which the caudal is 
included. The height of the preorbitar equals the diameter of the 
orbit; and its length is considerably greater, being about equal to one- 
third of the length of the head. The teeth on the jaws are needle- 
shaped, small, and arranged in a narrow, not crowded band. The 
vomer is smooth. The dorsal fin is low, the sixth and tallest spine 
being only equal to a quarter of the height of the body, and the fifth 
and seventh spines are scarcely shorter. The spines lower a little 
towards the soft rays, but there is no decided notch. None of the 
spines are stout. The second anal spine is as long as the third one 
and is thicker. The tenth or long pectoral ray reaches beyond the 
first third of the anal; the caudal is deeply forked. The transverse 
diameter of the scales generally exceeds the longitudinal one. 
Mr. Neill’s drawing represents five yellowish lines on each side of 
the face, reaching backwards to the occiput, the three lower ones 
crossing the upper part of the preorbitar and being interrupted by the 
eye. The under and fore edge of the preorbitar is marked by a blue 
line, which is prolonged to the temples, and there is also a short blue 
streak immediately under the orbit, the iris itself being likewise of 
that colour. Two blue lines traverse the summit of the back close 
to the dorsal, disappearing under the middle of the soft portion of 
that fin. The same colour exists on the membrane joining the first 
three dorsal spines, on the spines of the anal, the ventrals, the long 
pectoral ray, and the upper and under edges of the caudal, the tint 
in all these cases being a pure indigo. The rest of the fins are of a 
paler colour, approaching to mountain-blue. 
Cheilodactylus macropterus, Forster. 
Scisenoides abdominalis, Solander MSS. Pisces Australia, p. 11. 
Scisena abdominalis. Idem , op.citat. p.29 ; fig.pict.Parkins. 2-40. 
Scieena macroptera, Forster, Descrip. Anim. p. 136. fig. 206. 
Georgio Forst. picta. 
Radii.— Br. 6; D.17|26; A. 3|14; C. 17; P. 15 ; V.l|5, Soland. 
Br.6; D. 17|26; A. 3|14 ; C. 30 ; P. 9etVI.; V.l|5, Forst. 
