d o n o t a p p e a r to h a v e b e e n th ic k . T h e te e th a re sh o r t,
a n d d e n s e ly v illifo rm in r a th e r b r o a d b a n d s on th e iaws,
v om e r, a n d p a la te b o n e s , w ith o u t c a n in e s .
T h e u n d e r jaw sh ow s a sm a ll p o re o n e a c h s id e o f th e
sym p h y s is , a n d th r e e la rg e r o n e s o n e a c h lim b . T h is b o n e ,
th e jaw s , th e p re o rb ita r , th e v e ry n a rrow s u b o rb ita r c h a in ,
a n d th e to p o f th e h e a d , a re sc a le le s s . T h e o b lo n g p r e o
r b ita r is ro u n d e d a n te r io r ly , a n d h a s a w id e sh a llow cu rv e
o n Us low e r e d g e , w h ic h is r e g u la r ly s e rra te d . T h e ch e ek
is d e n s e ly s c a ly fo rw a rd s to th e m a x illa ry , h a v in g th ir te e n
row s o f s c a le s b e tw e e n th e ey e a n d th e c u rv e o f th e p r e o
p e r c u lum , a n d th e r e is a c lu s te r o f sm a ll s c a le s b e h in d
th e e y e , a d jo in in g th e n a rrow s u b o rb ita r c h a in . T h e disk
o f th e p r e o p e rc u lum is b o u n d e d tow a rd s th e c h e e k b y a
sm o o th n a r row r id g e , o r lin e , b u t is c lo th e d b y some
m m u te s c a le s , a n d its o u te r ed g e is s e rra te d . T h e te e th o f
th e u p p e r lim b a re sm a ll a n d régulai-, w hile th o s e a t th e
s lig h tly ro u n d e d c om e r , a n d o n th e u n d e r lim b , a re la rg e
m c lm e d fo rw a rd s , a n d d iv id e d in to th re e o r fo u r g ro u p s !
T h e s c a le s o n th e g ill-c o v e r a re la rg e r th a n th o s e o n th e
Cheek, a n d h id e th e u n io n o f th e o p e rc u lum a n d s u b o p e rc
u lum . T h e spm o u s p o in t o f th e o p e r c u lum is fla t a u d
a c u te , a n d d o e s n o t r e a c h b e y o n d th e m em b ra n o u s e d g in g
o f th e g ill-c o v e r. T h e b o n e is s lo p e d away a b o v e i t b v a n
o b h que_ sh a llow n o tc h , w h ic h e n d s in a sm a lle r spm o u s
p o in t , s itu a te d fu r th e r fo rw a rd th a n th e u n d e r o n e . T h e re
is a n o t c h a t th e m e e tin g o f th e in te ro p e r c u lum a n d s u b o
p e r c u lum . T h e s c a ly s u p r a - s c a p u la r sp a c e is b o u n d e d
b y a sm o o th lin e , th e s c a p u la is to o th e d o n th e ed g e a n d
th e o c ta n g u la r d is k o f th e c o ra c o id b o n e ab o v e th e p e c to
r a l IS s c a ly , a n d its e d g e to o th e d . T h e g ill-m em b ra n e
is p a r tia lly sc a ly .
T h e s c a le s a re r e tic u la te d o n th e e x te r io r b o rd e r , a n d
fin e ly c ilia te d , b u t th e y fe e l o n ly slighUy ro u g h w h e n th e
f in g e r is d r aw n fo rw a rd s o v e r th em . F ifty -tw o sc a le s , d is -
tm gm s h e d b y a sm a ll tu b e o n e a c h , c om p o s e th e la te r a l
lin e , a s f a r a s th e b a s e o f th e c a u d a l, b u t sm a lle r s c a le s
e x te n d h a l f w ay u p th a t fin.
T X.h 1COL1U11S e s tro n g uui&d o rs a ai l a im n d a n a l i sp in e s a re a lte rn a te ly r ig h t
in d le ft. T h e th ird an a l sn in p is rn ttip r v..,« __
a n a n s p e r a th e r lo n g e r, b u t s c a rc e ly
so s to u t a s th e s e co n d . T h e l a s t soft ra y s o f b o th fin s a re
d iv id e d to th e b a s e , th e fin s m ove in s c a ly gro o v e s, a u d a re
a lso c lo th e d w ith s c a le s fo r som e way u p . T h e b a s e o f
th e p e c to r a l is a lso s c a ly . T h e v e n tr a ls e n d in f ilam en to u s
tip s , a n d h a v e a n e lo n g a te d s c a le in th e a x illa .
T h e sm a lle r s p e c im e n is f ig u re d o f th e n a tu r a l s iz e on
th e p la te , a n d h a s th e fo llow in g
DIMENSIONS.
L en g th from tip o f s a o u t to base o f c au d a l fin ............. g-SO inches.
an u s ......... 5*50
G re atest h e ig h t of b o d y .......................................... !!!!!!!!!!!! 3 30 ”
T h e la r g e r s p e c im e n is fo u rte e n in c h e s lo n g , h a s a m ore
a b ru p tly n o tc h e d p r e o rb ita r , a p ro p o r tio n a lly lo n g e r face,
s tro n g e r d o rs a l a n d a n a l sp in e s , a n d a r a y fewe r in th e
p e c to r a l, b u t d o e s n o t se em to b e sp e c ific a lly d is tin c t.
H.4B. W e s tem A u s tra lia .
D ia g r a m m .\ p o r o sa . R ic h a rd s o n .
C ii. S pec. D. p a r t e p im ioe d o r s i sp in o sâ h u m i l i ; p in n a
a m lo n g â ; ro s tro m a x illd q u e in f e r io r i p o ro s is .
R a d i i :— B. 7 ; D .9 |2 0 ; A .3 ] 1 5 -, C . I S ^ ; P . 1]20 ; V. 1]5.
P la t e X V I ., figs. 5 , 6 , n a tu r a l siz e .
T h i s fish diffe rs from th e ty p ic a l V ia g ram m c e in s ev e ra l
re sp e c ts , a n d e sp e c ia lly in th e low n e s s o f th e spm o u s p a r t
of th e d o rs a l, w h ic h , w h e n c o n tr a s te d with th e h ig h e r
ev e n , so ft ra y s , a lm o s t giv e s i t a c la im to b o r a n k e d am o n g
th e S c iæ u o id s , with tw o d o rs a ls . T h e ra y s o f th e a n a l a re
tw ic e a s n um e ro u s a s th o s e o f a n y sp e c ie s o f D ia g r am m a
m en tio n e d m th e H is to ir e d e s P o isso n s. S om e o f th e
P r is tip om c e a p p ro a c h i t in th is r e s p e c t, b u t in th a t g e n u s
th e r e a re n o s c a le s o n th e d o rs a l o r ana l.
F o rm c om p re s s e d , th e g r e a te s t h e ig h t, w h ic h is a t th e
v e n tra ls , b e in g n e a r ly th r ic e th e th ic k n e s s . T h e p ro file
e x c lu s iv e o f th e t ru n k o f th e ta il, is u n e q u a lly o va te , th e
h e a d fo rm in g th e o b tu s e en d , a n d th e b e lly b e in g c o n s id e r-
a b ly le s s a r c h e d th a n th e b a c k . T h e h e a d m a k e s o n e -
th i rd o f th e to ta l le n g th , c a u d a l e x c lu d e d . T h e ey e is
r a th e r la rg e , a n d is p la c e d h ig h u p , b u t y e t a l ittle rem o v ed
from th e p ro file , o n e d iam e te r o f th e o rb it d is ta n tf rom th e
e n d of th e s n o u t, a n d tw o from th e tip o f th e g ill-co v e r.
T h e m o u th h a s a m o d e ra te ly la rg e v e rtic a l gap e , b u t is
c le f t o n ly a s h o r t w a y b a c kw a rd s . T h e te e lh a re ve ry
sm a ll, s e ta c e o u s , o f ir r e g u la r h e ig h t, w id e ly s e t, a n d in a
s in g le row , w ith o u t c a n in e s . T h e r e is a n a rrow v e lum
a b o v e a n d b e low , wh ich , w ith th e whole in s id e o f th e
m o u th , a re s tu d d e d with g la n d u la r p o in ts , lo o k in g lik e rows
o f te e th , b u t th e r e a re , in fa c t, n o te e th on th e vomer, or
p a la te . T h e m te g um e u ts o n th e ro o f o f th e m o u th sh ow a
d e ep n a r row m e s ia l furrow, b o u n d e d on e a c h s id e b y a n a c u te
m em b ra n o u s rid g e , o n th e o u ts id e o f w h ich th e re is a s h a llow
e r gro o v e . T h e s e p a r ts a re f rin g e d w ith g la n d s . T h e
p h a ry n g e a l te e th a r e v illiform, a n d som ew h a t a c e ró s e . T h e
o u te r r a k e r s a re s le n d e r a n d se ta c e o u s , th e o th e r s n a rrow
c r e s ts , a ll o f th em ro u g h . T h e p r e o rb ita r h a s a s tr a ig h t
m f e n o r , s e r r a te d e d g e , w h ic h co v e rs a little o f th e m a x illa
ry . T h e m u c h ro u n d e d p r e o p e rc u lum , a n d th e in te r -
o p e rc u lu in a n d s u b o p e rc u lum , b o th o f wh ich a re c o n v e x
o n th e e d g e , a re a lso s e rra te d . T h e o p e rc u lum h a s tw o
m m u te , th in , o b tu s e p o in ts , w ith a n o b liq u e a n g u la r n o tc h
b e tw e e n , a l l o f w h ic h a re c o n c e a le d b y th e sc a le s. T h e
g ill-c o v e r is tr ia n g u la r , with a som ew h a t o b tu s e tip . T h e
g ill-o p e n in g is la rg e , a n d th e m em b ra n e is s u p p o r te d b y
se v e n s tro n g ish ra y s . T h e c h e e k , in te ro p e rc u lum , g ill-
c o v e r a n d su p r a - s c a p u la r s , a re d e n s e ly c o v e red with small
s c a le s ; th e d isk o f th e p re o p e rc u lum , p r e o rb ita r , low e r jaw
a n d r e s t o f th e h e a d , in c lu d in g th e lin e s w h ic h suiTound
th e su p r a - s c a p u la r p a tc h e s , a re c o v e re d w ith p o ro u s in te g
um e n t. T h e tw o sm a ll p o re s o n e a c h s id e o f th e sym -
ih y s is , a n d th e tw o la rg e r o n e s o n th e lira b o f th e lowe r
, aw, wh ich c h a r a c te r is e th e g en u s , c a n n o t b e d is tin g u ish e d
rom th e r e s t. T h e r e is n o p i t u n d e r th e c h in , a s in P r is -
t ip om a .
T lie v e n tra ls , p e c to r a ls , a n d c om m e n c em e n t o f th e d o r s
a l, a re m th e sam e v e rtic a l lin e . T h e fo u rth d o rs a l s p in e
is th e ta lle s t, a n d th e p e n u ltim a te o ne is m u c h sh o r te r th an
th e la s t o ne . T h e so ft ra y s a re lo n g e r th a n a n y o f th e
s p in e s , a n d th e clifTerence is s till g r e a te r in th e an a l, w h ic h
h a s a lso sm a ll sp in e s . T h e fins a n d th e c a u d a l a re s c a ly
a t th e b a s e , a n d th e r e is a p a tc h o f s c a le s o n th e p e c to r a l.
T h e c a u d a l is n o tc h e d .
T h e la te r a l lin e c u rv e s dow nw a rd s from i t s c om m e n c e m
en t, b u t n o t e v en ly , a n d b e c om e s h o r iz o n ta l o n r e a c h in g
th e e n d o f th e d o rs a l. T h e s c a le s o f th e b o d y a re c o n c
e n tric a lly r id g e d o n th e u n c o v e re d disk. T h e sp e c im en
h a s e n tire ly lo s t its o r ig in a l co lo u rs d u r in g its im m e rs io n
ill sp irits , a n d n o m a rk in g s c a n b e tr a c e d , e x c e p t th re e
row s o f a lte rn a te d a rk a n d lig h t sp e c k s o n th e d o rs a l,
which a re n o t shown in th e figure .
L e n g th , 5 j in c h e s .
H a b . C o a s ts o f A u s tra lia .
G iaucosoma ? HEBRAicuM. R ic lia rd so ii.
Ch. S pec. Gl. n ig ro v a r iu m ,fa c i e c o n v e x a ; ra d io q u a r to
a r tic ú la lo p in n c e d o r s i elongato.
R a d i i :— B r . 7 ; D . 8 |1 1 ; A. 3 |9 ; C. 1 7 ^ ; P . 1 6 ; V. 1¡5.
P la te X V I I ., o n e - th ird th e n a tu r a l siz e .
T h e ich th y o lo g ic a l p a r t o f S ie b o ld ’s F a u n a J a p ó n ic a ,
w ritte n b y M e s s rs . C. J . T cm m in c k a n d H . S ch le g e l
{p. 62, p i. 27), c o n ta in s a n e n g ra v in g , with a s h o r t n o tic e ,
o f a fish o f w h ich th e y h a d s e e n n o sp e c im e n , a u d k n ew
on ly from a d r aw in g a n d d e s c r ip tio n fo rw a rd ed to th em b y
Mr! B ü rg e r. T h e y s ta te th a t th e fish is ta k e n o c c a s io n a lly
in th e b a y s o f th e so u th -w e s t c o a s t o f J a p a n , a n d is m u c h
e s te em ed for its e x c e lle n t flavour a s a n a r tic le o f food. I t
a tta in s a g o o d s iz e , th e in d iv id u a l d r aw n b y M r. B ü rg e r
b e in g two fe e t in le n g th . T h e y n am e i t G laucosom a from
th e g en e ra l t in t o f th e b o d y , a n d give tb e n um b e rs o f its
ray s a s follows :— B r . 7 ; D . 9]11 ; A. SjO; C . 1 8 ; P . 1 8 ;
V. 1|5. T h e w e s te rn c o a s t o f A u s tra lia is f r e q u e n te d b y
a fish h a v in g p re c is e ly th e sam e form o f th e gill-co v e r,
th e same u n u su a l d is tr ib u tio n o f th e sc a le s on th e sn o u t,
p r e o rb ita r , m a x illa r ie s a n d low e r jaw , a n d a s im ila r sp in o u s
dorsa l, rem a rk a b le fo r its low n e s s a n d for th e g ra d u a l in c
re a se in th e le n g th o f its sp in e s from th e f ir s t to th e la s t,
w h ich is m u c h o v e rto p p e d b y th e s u c c e e d in g so ft ray s.*
In th e c h a r a c te r o f th e a n a l sp in e s , th e s h a p e a n d s iz e o f
th e sc a le s o f th e b o d y , a n d in g en e ra l a sp e c t, th e re s em b
la n c e b e tw e en th e J a p a n e s e a n d A u s tr a lia n sp e c ie s h o ld s
good, a n d w e h a v e th e re fo re re fe rre d th e la tte r a lso to th e
gen u s G laucosom a, th o u g h a few p a r tic u la r s o f s tru c tu re
rem a in to b e d e te rm in e d b y fu tu re o b s e rv a tio n b e fo re th is
* W ith the exception of Latil-us, and a few other genera, mo st of the
Percidce an d S c in n idw with single dorsals have the spinous p a rt o f th a t
fin more or less arch ed by a grad u a l shortening o f the posterior ones
either to th e la s t one or to the penultimate one, thus m aking an apjiroach
to a notched dorsal. In d e e d th e division of the Percidw into those
having double or deeply notched dorsals, an d those h aving single ones,
would be artificial, were i t fully carried out, which i t is not in the H is toire
des Poissmis, g reater regard be in g generally h a d in Cuvier’s a rrangements
to the assemblage of generic characters, th an to any isolated
feature in a fish. T h u s we have some Diagramma: with a dorsal more
deeply notched, th an in Scitenoids which are ranked with those having
double dorsals, an d like instances mav be readily adduced from the
Percida:.
a llo c a tio n c a n b e fina l. T h e A u s tra lia n fish h a s tw o flat
b o n y o b tu s e p o in ts in th e o p e rc u lum , s e p a r a te d b y a d e e p
n o tc h , a n d so b u r ie d am o n g th e s c a le s th a t th e y a re n o t
re a d ily s e en . N o su c h p o in ts a re sh ow n in M r. B u rg e r ’s
fig u re o f G la u co som a , n o r in d e e d a re th e y d is tin g u is h e d
from s c a le s in o u r p la te . A s till g r e a te r re a so n fo r d o u b t
is th e s ile n c e o f M r. B ü rg e r on th e s u b je c t o f te e th o n
th e v om e r a n d p a la te . T h e A u s tr a lia n fish h a s ev en a
m o re d e c id e d ly S ciaenoid a s p e c t th a n th e J a p a n e s e o ne ,
a n d it m a y b e th a t M e s s rs . T em m in c k a u d S c h le g e l
ra n k e d Glaucosoma in th a t fam ily m o re from g e n e r a l c h a r
a c te r th a n from p r e c is e in fo rm a tio n o f th e p a la te b e in g
to o th le s s , a s th e y s ay n o th in g a b o u t i t in th e te x t. S h o u ld
i t e v e n tu a lly p ro v e th a t th e o n e fish h a s th e ro o f o f th e
m o u th sm o o th , w hile th e o th e r h a s i t to o th e d , i t w ill e ith e r
sh ow th a t th is c h a r a c te r m u s t in som e c a s e s b e d isp e n s e d
w ith , i f w e wish to m a k e families^ n a tu r a l a s s em b la g e s o f
sp e c ie s , o r w e m u s t a dm it th a t i t is th e o n ly c h a r a c te r b y
w'hich som e P e r c id a c a n b e d is tin g u is h e d from Sci<Bnid<e,
a n d o f th is i t is n o t d iffic u lt to find e x am p le s am o n g th e
M e so p r io n e s , D ia g r a m m a a n d th e ir a llie s . A n o th e r p o in t
o n wh ich w c la c k in fo rm a tio n is th e n a tu r e o f th e p h a ry n g
e a l te e lh o f th e A u s tra lia n fish. T h e sp e c im e n s a re
m e re ly s e c tio n s , in w h ic h th e p a r ts a b o u t th e th ro a t h a v e
b e e n c u t aw ay . M r. B ü rg e r d e s c rib e s th e p h a ry n g e a l
te e th o f h is fish a s b e in g e n p a v é . T h i s g e n tlem a n ’s
d r aw in g shows s c a le s be tw'e en th e ray s o f th e a n a l fin, b u t
n o n e o n th e d o rs a l, w h ic h is m o s t p ro b a b ly a n om issio n .
B o th fins o f th e A u s tra lia n fish a re s c a ly a t th e b a s e , a n d
i t is r a r e th a t a fish h a s th e a n a l s c a ly , a n d th e d o rs a l
sm ooth.
N o sp e c ific n am e h a s b e e n a s s ig n e d to th e J a p a n e s e
fish, b u t th e e x is te n c e o f a s e c o n d s p e c ie s re n d e rs i t n e c e s s
a ry to s u p p ly o ne , for th e co n v e n ie n c e o f re fe ren c e , a n d
we p ro p o s e to d o so , b y n am in g it , in h o n o u r o f its d is c
o v e re r, G laucosom a biirg e r i. T h e a p p e lla tio n o f th e
A u s tra lia n sp e c ie s , G laucosom a h e h ra ic um , w a s su g g e s te d
b y its co lo n ia l d e s ig n a tio n o f Jew -fish . I n som e E n g lis h
p o s s e s s io n s fish o f sm a ll e s tim a tio n a re te rm e d J ew - f is h ; b u t
w e d o u o t k n ow th a t th is is th e oi-igin o f its triv ia l n am e
in W e s te rn A u s tra lia , a s w e h a v e n o t re c e iv e d a n y a c c o u n t
o f th e q u a litie s o f th e fish , w h o s e siz e giv e s i t im p o rta n c e ,
o u r sp e c im e n , from H o u tm a n ’s A b ro lh o s , e x c e e d in g two
fe e t a n d a h a l f in le n g th .
A c c o rd in g to C u v ie r’s sy stem o f a rra n g em e n t, G la u co som
a h e h ra ic um b e in g a p e r c o id fish w ith five a r tic u la te d
v e n tra l ra y s , se v e n b ra n c h o s te g o u s ra y s , a s in g le d o rsa l,
villifo rm te e th w ith o u t c a n in e s , a n d a s e rra te d p r e o p e r c u lum
, w o u ld e n te r th e g en u s Cen tro p r is te s , b u t its h a b i t is
to ta lly d is tin c t from th a t o f th e ty p ic a l sp e c ie s , n o r d o e s it
co rre sp o n d w ith a n y o f th e o th e r g e n e ra , viz . Grgste s,
P o ly p r io n , P en ia c e ro s , A c e r in a a n d R Jn jp tic u s p la c e d in th e
s am e g ro u p w ith Cen tro p r is te s in th e H is to ir e de sP o isso n s.*
* I n this work th e genus Centropristes p resents a n incongruous assemblag
e of species- T b e Eev. Leo n a rd Je n y n s h a s properly removed
C. georgianus an d the species resembling it to a separate genus, which
be h a s named Arripis. Tliese species are much like a M u g il with a
single dorsal, a likeness which Solander seized when b e named one of
them Mulloides. T h e Centropristes scorjienoides, another A u stralian fish,
is also very unlike th e American types of th e geuus. I t has th e u nder
limb of th e preoperculum armed with three strong acute spines, curved