warrant such a step. Its herring-like form, denticulated suborbital, scaly maxillary,
small pectorals, backward position of the ventrals, and deeply forked caudal,
sulBciently distinguish it from Centropristes, with which it hardly agrees in any
of its characters, beyond that of wanting canines, and having the. preopercle denticulated,
and the opercle armed with small sharp points. Its teeth, however, are
not exactly velutine, as in the typical species of that genus, hut rather in fine card,
with the outer row in both jaws stronger than the others. But, perhaps, one of
the most marked peculiarities in this proposed genus resides in the scales, which
have, instead of the usual fan of diverging stri® on their basal portions, a triangular
space filled up by a number of extremely fine, closely-approximating stri®,
parallel to each other, and also parallel to the basal margin, which is out quite
square and entire.*
Although this genus is thus separated from Centropristes, there is no doubt
of its having a near affinity with i t ; and also with Grystes, from which last, however,
it is at once known by its denticulated preopercle. It is still more closely
allied to Apsilus, whioll it very much resembles in its general form, as well as in
some of its particular characters. Amongst other points of resemblance witli tliis
last genus, may be noticed the similarity of the teeth; tlie very large gill-
opening ; the small and inconspicuous points on the opercle; tlie weak spines of
the dorsal and anal, both which fins also terminate in a point behind; the small
pectorals, and the deeply forked caudal.
It is probable that the Centropristes truttaceus of Cuvier and Valenciennes
also belongs to this new genus, which, as well as tlie C. Georgianus, comes from
New Holland, and which those autliors seem, not witliout much hesitation, to
have placed provisionally in the group in which it now stands. It is not stated,
however, whether the peculiar character of the scales in the C. Georgianus, above
pointed out, exists also in this species.
A r r ip is G e o r g ia n u s .
Centropristes Georgianus, C uv. et V al. H ist, des Poiss. tom . vii. p. 338.
F o rm .—As M. Valenciennes has given an accurate and detailed description of this fish, and as I
have already stated above some of its leading characters, it is not necessary to say much
further on this head in reference to the specimen in Mr. D arw in’s collection. I need only
point out wherein it differs from the description in the “ Histoire des Poissons,” tlie greater
p art of which applies exactly. M. Valenciennes states that the ventral profile is more curved
than the dorsal, but there is not much difference in their respective degrees of curvature in this
■ T he absence of the usual fan has suggested th e nam e of A n -ip is, from a priv. c t piiris, flahellum.
specimen. Tlie thickness of the body, whicli he fixes a t one-third of the depth, is here nearly
h alf the depth. The following characters may be also given, in addition to his. Above each
orbit are two short crests or ridges which meet at an angle anteriorly, and the interocular space
between these pairs of ridges is rather depressed; beyond, or immediately above the upper
lip, the snout is a little protuberant. The band of teeth in each jaw is narrow, with the outer
row longer than the others ; and a t the sides o f the jaw , this outer row is all that is obvious-
The intermaxillary is slightly protractile. The eye is hardly removed so much as one diameter
from the end of the snout. The limb o f the preopercle is striated ; the angle at bottom
rounded, and much dilated, so that the ascending margin falls in advance of a vertical. The
contour of the membrane of the opercle is rounded. The cheeks, and all the pieces of the
gill-cover, with the exception of the broad limb of the preopercle, are scaly : there are also a
few scales on the maxillary, but none on the crown between the eyes, or on the snout, or lower
jaw . The dorsal and anal terminate nearly in the same vertical line, but the latter reaches a
trifle the farthest. B oth fins are invested at their base with a scaly membrane, the scales of
whicli are of a long lanceolate form. The length of the caudal equals the depth of the body.
T hat of the pectorals equals h alf the depth : these fins are attached a little behind the opercle,
and a little below the middle. The point of attachm ent of the ventrals is in a vertical line
which passes through the middle of the pectorals, and coincides with the commencement of the
dorsal. They are longer than the pectorals; and in their axill® is a lanceolate membranaceous
scale lialf their own length. Tliere is a similar, but shorter scale in the axilla of the pectorals
also.
B. 7; D. 9/16; A. 3/10; C. 17^ ; P . 15; V. 1/5
Length 9 inches 10 lines.
C o l o u r .— N ot noticed in the recent state. In spirits, the whole fish appears of a nearly uniform
dull metallic yellovi’ish-wliite, tinged with olive on the back and upper part of the sides.
Mr. Darwin obtained this species in K ing George’s Sound, in New Holland,
the same place in which it was discovered by MM. Quoy and Gaimard.
A p l o d a c t y l u s p u n c t a t u s . Val.
A plodactylus punctatus, C uv. ct V al. H ist. desPoiss. tom. viii. p. 352. pi. 242.
This very remarkable fish was first sent from Valparaiso, by M. D ’Orbigny,
where it was also observed by M. Gay. Mr. Darwin’s collection contains a specimen,
which has unfortunately lost the number attached to i t ; but as he made a
collection on that coast, it was probably obtained in the same locality. T he description
given of it in the “ Histoire des Poissons,” is so detailed as well as accurate,
and the figure so exact, that it is quite unnecessary to annex that of the present
individual. I may merely observe that the number of simple rays at the bottom