c o lo u r o f th e b o d y is g re y ish , w ith a p u rp lis h b row n
s h in in g th ro u g h , a n d a m in u te r e tic u la tio n o f lig h te r lin e s.
A b row n b a n d c ro s s e s tb e m id d le o f th e c a u d a l, in te r ru p te d
b y a m e sh -w o rk o f c le a r , tr a n s p a r e n t sp a c e s . T h e w h o le
sk in is th ic k ly s tu d d e d w ith little g lo b u la r em in e n c e s , from
e a c h o f w h ic h , tw o d iv e rg e n t, m in u te , h a ir - lik e s p in e s
s ta n d o u t. T h e s e sp in e s a re e q u a lly c o n sp ic u o u s o n a ll
th e fin m em b ra n e s .
T h e firs t d o r s a l r a y is v e ry s le n d e r, r is e s from a g lo b u la r
b a s e , a n d te rm in a te s iu a s in g le la n c e o la te m em b ra n o u s
tip . T h e th i rd r a y is c lo s e ly b o u n d d ow n b y th e skin.
T h e p ro f ile is m o re a r c h e d th a n t h a t o f h is p id u s , a n d m o s t
o f th e s p e c ie s n e a r ly a llie d to it. T h e th ic k n e s s o f th e
sh o u ld e r is b u t little m o re th a n a fo u r th o f its h e ig h t.
DIMENSIONS.
L en g th from u pper lip to tip o f cau d a l fin............................ 1-55 inches.
H e ig h t a t th e v e n tra ls .................................................................. 0-70 „
G re atest th ick n es s............................................................................ 0 1 8 „
Len g th o f th e c au d a l f in .............................................................. 0 '4 0 ,.
C h e i r o n e c t e s p o l it u s . R ic h a rd so n .
Cheironectes politus. Rich a rd so n , Zool. T ran s ., vol. iii., p a rt 2 , p. 133.
P la t e IX ., fig. 2 , n a tu r a l size.
T h i s s p e c ie s b e lo n g s to th e little g ro u p o f Ch e iro n e c te s
w h ic h h a v e th e s e c o n d a n d th i rd d o r s a l r a y s u n ite d b y
m em b ra n e , to fo rm a n a n te r io r fin, a n d m o re e lo n g a te d
b o d ie s th a n th e o th e r m em b e rs o f th e g en u s . Two e x am p
le s o f th e sam e g ro u p a r e m a d e k n ow n in th e H is to ir e
de s P o is s o n s ; o n e h a v in g a ro u g h sk in , th e o th e r so m u c h
m o re sm o o th t h a t i t h a s re c e iv e d th e n am e o f la v is , y e t
i t is s a id to b e fu rn is h e d w ith s c a b ro u s p o in ts , s im ila r to
th o s e o f h i r s u tu s in s tru c tu re , th o u g h a little le s s ru d e to
th e to u c h . T h e s u b je c t o f th e p r e s e n t n o tic e is p e r f e c tly
sm o o th a n d soft, a u d a p ow e rfu l e y e -g la s s re v e a ls n o in e q
u a litie s in th e sk in . I t is w ith o u t s k in n y a p p e n d a g e s ,
a t le a s t in th e s ta te in w h ic h w e h a v e r e c e iv e d it. T h e
g ill-o p e n iiig , w ith a tu b u la r lip , is s itu a te d b e h in d , a n d
a l ittle a b o v e th e le v e l o f th e p e c to r a l a im . T h e work
a b o v e r e f e rre d to c o n ta in s a d e s c r ip tio n o f th e fish , b u t i t
r e q u ir e s th e follow in g s lig h t c o r r e c tio n s in th e a c c o u n t o f
th e fin s , a s I h a v e a s c e r ta in e d b y m in u te e x am in a tio n a n d
d is s e c tio n .
R a v s :— D . l | - 2 ] — 1 7 ; A. 9 ; C. 9 ; P . 9 ; V. l |4 .
T h e two a n te r io r r a y s o f th e s e c o n d d o rs a l a re g ra d u a te d ,
a n d e n c lo s e d in th e m em b r a n e , so a s to lo o k lik e o n e ra y ,
u n t i l d is s e c te d . T h e y a re a little sh o r te r th a n th e th ird ,
w h ic h is th e ta lle s t o f a ll. T h e fin low e rs in th e m id d le
b y a s lig h t cu rv e , r is in g a g a in n e a r th e e n d , w h ich is
r o u n d e d off. A ll th e r a y s a re s in g le , ta p e r in g , a n d stro n g ly
jo in t e d . T h e sam e is th e c a s e in th e an a l, w h o s e firs t two
r a y s a re a lso e n c lo s e d in th e s am e m em b ra n o u s sh e a th .
T h e fig u re en -o n eo u sly shows five r a y s in th e v e n tra ls .
T h e r e a re b u t fo u r, a n d a n e x trem e ly s h o r t sp in e , w h ic h is
d is c o v e re d w ith d ifficu lty .
H a b . T h e n o r th e r n c o a s ts o f V a n D iem e n ’s L a n d , P o r t
A rth u r.
B a t r a c h u s d u b iu s . W h i t e ?
C h . s p e c . B . n i g r o , f n s c o q n e v a r i u s , p i n n i s n i g r e s c e n l i -
bu s, J u s c o - s t r ia ti s ; d e n tib u s s u b u la to -c o n ic is u n is e -
r ia lib u s , in a p ic e ta n tu m m a x i l l a in fe r io r is d u p l i c a t i s ;
f i la m e n t i s tr ih u s s u p e r c ilia r ib u s .
R a d i i B r . 6 ; D . 3 |— 1 9 ; A. 1 8 ; C. 1 3 ; P . 2 2 ; V. 1 [2.
P la t e X ., figs. 1, 2 , n a tu r a l size.
I n th e a p p e n d ix to h is ‘ J o u rn a l o f a V o y ag e to N ew
S o u th W a le s ,’ b y J o h n W h ile , E s q ., p u b lis h e d in 1790,
th e a u th o r n o tic e s , ve ry b rie fly , a fish a b o u t s ix in c h e s lo n g ,
u n d e r th e title o f L o p h iu s d u b iu s : n ig r ic a n s s u b tn s p a l-
lid u s . H e s a y s n o th in g m o re o f i t th a n th a t th e “ g e n e ra l
c o lo u r is a v e ry d e e p b row n , a lm o s t b la c k ; th e m o u th is
e x trem e ly w id e , a u d fu rn ish e d w ith s ev e ra l row s o f very
sh a rp te e th . M a n y o v a were fo u u d on o p e n in g it , w h ic h
w e re v e ry la rg e in p ro p o r tio n to th e fish.” T h e figure
w h ic h a c c om p a n ie s th is n o tic e is e x e c r a b le , a n d a lm o s t
u s e le s s a s a m e a n s o f d e le rm in in g th e sp e c ie s . T h e
te e th o f th e low e r j a w a re r e p r e s e n te d a s b ru sh - lik e , or
villifo rm , a n d we fin d th a t , iu th e H is to ir e d e s Poissons,
W h ite ’s fish is re fe iTed to th e B a t r a c h u s B u s s u m ie r i ,
w h ic h h a s villifo rm te e th . A ll th e sp e c im e n s , h ow ev e r, o f
B a tr a c h u s , w h ic h w e h a v e se en from th e p o r t o f S id n e y ,
w h e re W h ite p ro c u r e d h is , b e lo n g to a sp e c ie s h a v in g th e
te e th a n d g e n e r a l fo rm o f B . g r u n n ie n s , w ith co lo u rs a p p
ro a c h in g th o s e o f B . B u s s u m i e r i ; a n d i t s e em s, th e re fo re ,
fa ir to c o n c lu d e , u n til a n o th e r s p e c ie s b e d e te c te d in th e
s am e qua i-te r, th a t th is is th e fish f ig u re d b y W h ite , a n d
w e h a v e , th e r e fo r e , given a n e x a c t fig u re , u n d e r h is spe c ific
n am e .
T h e B a tr a c h u s d u b iu s a p p e a r s to h av e a wid e r a n d th ic k e r
b o d y a t th e p e c to r a ls th a n g r u n n ie n s , a n d a s h o r te r h e a d ,
w ith a la rg e r eye. T h e te e th a re in s in g le rows o n th e
jaw s a n d ro o f o f th e m o u th , e x c e p t a t th e sym p h y s is o f
th e low e r jaw , wh e re th e y a re d o u b le d , b y th e a d d itio n o f
a n o u te r row o f fo u r o r five o n e a c h lim b . T h e ir fo n n is
b e tw e e n c o n ic a l a n d su b u la te , m u c h sh o r te r , a u d m o re
s le n d e r o n th e in te rm a x illa r ie s ,* w h ich r e a c h little m ore
th a n h a l f w ay to th e c o rn e r o f th e m o u th . T h e la te r a l
on e s o n th e low e r jaw a re s to u te r a n d b lu n te r , a n d th o s e
on th e a r c h o f th e v om e r a n d p a la tin e b o n e s s till m o re so.
T w o n a r row v illiform b a n d s , r a th e r d is ta n tf rom e a c h o th e r,
c ro ss th e u p p e r p h a iy n g e a l b o n e s o n e a c h s id e . A s in g le
b ro a d e r b a n d is o p p o s e d to th o s e b e n e a th , o n e a c h sid e .
T h e lip s a t th e ro o ts o f th e jaw - te e tli, w ith o u t a u d w ith in ,
a re c r e n a te d b y m in u te , soft, b la c k em in en c e s . T h e fila m
e n ts on th e h e a d a p p e a r to b e more n um e ro u s th a n in
g r u n n ie n s , b u t from th e e x tr em e la x ity o f th e sk in some
a d d r e s s is re q u ire d in a s c e r ta in in g th e ir tru e n um b e r a n d
fo rm . M r. M itc h e ll h a s e x h ib ite d th em in th e figure ve ry
a c c u ra te ly . T h e r e a re o p en p o r e s b e n e a th th e ey e , tw o or
th r e e ab o v e th e o rb it, a c lu s te r a t th e a r tic u la tio n o f th e
lowe r jaw , a n d a row a lo n g th e d isk o f th e p reo p e rcu lum .
T h e r e is n o h o le in th e c h e e k , b e h in d th e c o rn e r o f th e
m o u th , a s in g r u n n ie n s . T h e m o u th d o e s n o t o p e n lu rth e r
* I n grunniem tlie intermaxillary teeth are villifurm.— Histoire dei
Poissons.
b a c k th a n th e fore p a r t o f th e o rb it, b e in g p ro p o r tio n a lly
sm a lle r tlia n th a t o f g r u n n ie n s . T h e u p p e r a n d u n d e r
la te r a l lin e s a re m a rk e d b y a d o u b le row o f p o re s . T h e
u p p e r o p e r c u la r sp in e is lo n g e r th a n th e u n d e r o n e , which
eq u a ls th e s u b o p e r c u la r sp in e in le n g th . A c a r tila g in o u s
ra y cu rv e s u pw a rd s from' th e u p p e r a x il o f th e s u b o p e r cu
la r sp in e , a n d su p p o r ts tb e m em b ra n e b e y o n d th e tip o f
th e low e r o p e r c u la r sp in e .
T h e d a rk p a r ts o f th e fish a re jn tc h -b la c k , th e lig h t
p a r ts d iffe re n t s h a d e s o f b row n , a p p ro a c h in g on th e b o lly
to b row n ish , o r puiqrUsli-grey. T h e lig h t s p o ts o n th e
p e c to ra ls form a n e t-w o rk , with c ir c u la r m e sh e s.
T h e f ir s t r a y o f th e v e n tra ls is th ic k a t th e b a s e ,
c lo s e ly jo in te d , ta p e r s to a fine p o in t, a n d is b o rd e r e d
with m em b ra n e an te rio rly . T h e s e c o n d is d iv id ed a n d
b r a n c h e d An e x tr em e ly s h o r t sp in e , th a t c a n n o t be
d e le c te d w ith o u t d is s e c tio n , is in c um b e n t o n th e b a s e o f
th e firs t ra y . T h e s e c o n d d o rs a l sp in e is ta lle r th a n th e
th ird one. .All th r e e a re d is tin c t a t th e ir b a s e s , a n d a re
n o t v is ib le u n til s o u g h t for am o n g th e lo o s e sk in o f th e
b a c k . T h e la s t ra y o f th e d o r s a l a n d a n a l is d iv id e d to
th e b a s e . T h e a n te r io r ra y s o f th e a n a l a re s lio r te r th a n
tiie r e s t, a n d n o t e a s ily fo u n d u n d e r th e ir fla c c id c o v e rin g ,
so th a t o n ly a b o u t s ix te e n r a y s show, a s in th e fig u re , b u t
th e r e a re , in r e a lity , e ig h te e n , a ll b r a n c h e d a t th e lip s , a n d
jo in te d . T h e lo o s e sk in in th e a x i l o f th e ro u n d e d p e c to
ra l is p e rfo ra te d b y a h o le , in th e s p e c im e n fig u re d , b u t
in o th e rs th e sk in is e n tir e a t th is p la c e .
DIMENSIONS.
Len g th from u p per lip (retracted) to end o f caudal fin ... 8 20 inches
an u s ........................... 3 '7 0 „
» « tip o f gill-cover ... 2 '3 6 „
» ,i cen tre o f o r b i t .......... 0'55
Breadth between the o r b it s ......................................................... Q-ga
H e ig h t o f bodv a t pectorals.................................... i.y o ”
Thickness th e r e ...... .........................................................................................”
Length of caudal fin j .35 ”
pecto rals.......................................................................... 1-75 ”
Obs. A d paginam 12, li,i. 39, p ro “ ventrales” lege “ ve,-ticalcs."
B a t r . a c h u s DIEMENSIS. L c s tieu r.
C h . Sp ec . B . esquamosus, umbrhms ; nebulis punctisque
confertis mgro fu s c is ; suhoperculis bispinosis.
R a d i i : B . 6 ; D . 3 ]—2 0 ; A. 1 7 ; C. 15 ; P . 23 ; V. i;2 .
Batrachoides dieinensis. Lesueur, Jo um . Acad. N a t. Sc. Ph ilad , p 402
Batrachus g uadnspmis. Cuv. e t Val. xii., p. 487 p. “lo-t.
Batrachus diemensis R icha rdson, Annals N a t. H ist,, x. p. 352, descrip-
tion of a dried specimen, imperfect. ‘
P la te A T I I ., figs. 1 a n d 2 , n a tu r a l s iz e .
I n th e J o u n i a l o f t h e A c ad em y o f S c ie n c e s o f P h ila d e lp
h i a a s q u o te d above , M . L e s u e u r h a s d e s c r ib e d a .B r/im -
chus p re s e rv ed 1.1 th e g a lle ry o f th e J a r d in d e s P la n te s a t
™ T i i " f, ■ 1 '“ * i* ' " ° 8t
.1 k '" ," " l ' i d i is n am e d B . q „ ,„ ln -
■ p w u , ra th e P o is tc / s , a n d is llio rc i.i s ta le d
to h a v e h e e n b ro iig lil from th e In d ia n O c e a n , b v P e ro n
M. V a l e n c e n n e s , a t e a s t, who h a s th e b e s t o p p o rln n ilT o f
k n ow in g , co n s id e rs d iem e n s is a n d ijiia d r isp iiiis to b e 'b u t
o n e s p e c ie s ; a n d in a d o p tin g h is o p in io n , we em p lo y th e
n am e w h ich h a s th e r ig h t o f p r io r p u b lic a tio n , th o u g h it
is le s s c h a r a c te r is tic . M. L e su e u r ’s d e s c r ip tio n a p e e s
w ith o u r sp e c im e n s , e x c e p t in th e n um b e r o f s tqm rc ilia ry
c ir rh i, o f w h ich h e c o u n ts o n ly two, a n d o f th e a n a l a n d
p e c to r a l r a y s ; th e e x tr em e lo o s e n e s s o f th e in te g um e n t,
h ow ev e r, e x p o s e s th e e x am in e r to e r ro r in h is en um e ra tio n
o f th e s e p a r ts ; a n d h a d we n o t h a d th e a d v a n ta g e o f in sp
e c tin g sp e c im e n s , w hose fin -m em b ra n e s were n e a r ly r e m
o v ed b y p u tr e f a c tio n , o u r r e c k o n in g w o u ld h a v e b e e n th e
sam e a s th a t o f th e H is to ir e de s P oissons.
T h e p ro file o f th e c om p a ra tiv e ly sm a ll h e a d is fla tly
a r c h e d ab o v e , th e sum m it o f th e d o rs a l cu rv e b e in g a t th e
f irs t d o rs a l fin, w h e r e th e b o d y is c o n s id e ra b ly h ig h e r th a n
e ls ew h e re .
T h e n um b e r a n d p o s itio n o f th e c ir rh i m ay b e m ore
r e a d ily a s c e r ta in e d b y a n in s p e c tio n o f th e fig u re s , th a n
b y a n y d e s c r ip tio n , h ow e v e r e la b o r a te , a n d we h a v e on ly
to s ay , th a t in m o s t c a s e s , i f n o t in a ll, th e y a re th e e lo n g
a te d m a rg in s o f p o re s . T lie re a re a lso o p e n p o r e s , w illi-
o u t e le v a te d ed g e s , o n th e u n d e r b o rd e r o f th e o rb it, a n d
on th e di.sk o f th e p r e o p e rc u lum . B e s id e s th e u p p e r a u d
u n d e r la te r a l lin e s , th e re is a m id d le o n e , w ith more d is ta n t
c irrh ife ro u s p o re s , w h ic h a re le s s e a s ily d is co v e red .
T h e te e th o n th e jaw s , v ome r, a n d p a la te b o n e s a r e ve ry
sh o rt, a n d c lo s e ly v illifo n n . On th e low e r jaw th e d e n ta l
p la te e x p a n d s forward a t th e sym p h y s is , a n d ta p e r s to a
p o in t a t th e c o rn e r o f th e m o u th . T h e in te rm a x illa r ie s
form on ly h a l f th e u p p e r b o rd e r o f th e m o u th , a n d th e ir
te e th a re in a s in g le row, e x c e p t a t th e sym p h y s is wh e re
th e se rie s is d o u b le d or tr e b le d . T h e p h a ry n g e a l te e th are
lo n g e r , m o re u n e v e n a n d s e ta c e o u s th a n th o s e on th e jaw s .
T h e m id d le d o r s a l s p in e is ta lle r th a n th e th ird o n e , and
th e y a re m o re s e p a r a te d a t th e b a s e th a n th e y a p p e a r to be
-when s e e n th ro u g h th e m em b ra n e , a s th e y a re in o u r figure .
T h e la s t ra y s o f th e s e c o n d d o rs a l a n d a n a l a re d iv id e d
to th e b a se . A ll th e ra y s o f th e s e fins a re jo in te d , a n d th e
fo rem o s t tw o o r th r e e o f th e a n a l a re sh o rt, g ra d u a te d ,
a n d so b o u n d to g e th e r b y m em b ra n e , th a t in th e r e c e n t
fish th e y w ill b e g en e ra lly r e c k o n e d a s o n ly o n e ra y . T h e
th r e e m id d le fililb n n b r a n c h io s te g o u s ra y s a re so a ])p ro x i-
m a te d a t th e b a s e , a s to lo o k lik e b r a n c h e s o f o n e r a y , a n d
th e y s e p a r a te le s s in th e m em b ra n e th a n th e o th e r ravs.
T h e s u b o p e r c u la r s p in e s a re a little sh o r te r th a n th e o p e r c
u la r o n e s , a n d th e u n d e r s])ine o f e a c h p ie c e is o n ly h a lf
th e le n g th o f th e u p p e r o ne . T h e a im s is in th e m id d le
o f th e fish.
A fte r lo n g m a c e ra tio n in sp irits , th e co lo u rs o f th e d a rk e r
p a r ts , in c lu d in g th e m in u te d o ts g e n e r a lly d is p e r s e d ov e r
th e b o d y a n d fins, a re d e e p um b e r a u d liv e r b row n s , a p p
ro a c h in g to b la c k . T h e lig h te r p a r ts , in c lu d in g th e b e lly
a n d b a r s on th e ta il, a re p a le b ro c c o li-b row n , v e rg in g on
p u rp lish -g re y .
DIMENSIONS.
Len g th fvotn u p per lip to en d o f cau d a l fiu ...
Di.inietei' o f o r b it..........
r i f ig h t of b o d y ...............
TIiickness of sliotilder .
Len g th of cau d a l fin ....
gill-opening
cen tre o f eye
. 4-25 inches.
• 2-12 „ . 1 20 „
. 0-37 „
• 0-21 „
• 1'20 „
■ 0-95 „
• 0-84 „
D