c eu s i t is s a id “ L ’o p ev cn le e s t é tro it, e t il y a q u e lq u e s
é c a illé s su r s a su rfa c e , t a n d i s q u e le so u s -o p e r c u le e t l’in-
te ro p e r c u le e n s o n t to u t-a - f a it d é p o u rv u s : ” [H is t, d e s
Poi's.ç. iii. p . 52). I f th e sp e c im e n s w e re u n in ju re d , th is
s e em s to b e a su ffic ien t d is tin c tiv e c h a r a c te r , b u t th e re
d o e s n o t e x i s t a n e q u a lly s tro n g re a so n fo r c o n s id e r in g
s a la r a s sp e c ific a lly d is tin c t from F o r s te r ’s t r u t ta , th o u g h
th e fig u re s a re n o t su ffic ie n tly d e ta ile d to pro v e th e ir id e n tity
. I c o n s id e r it , th e re fo re , sa fe r to r e ta in tlie n am e o f
s a la r , u n til th e ic h th y o lo g y o f S o u th A u s tr a lia a n d N ew
Z e a la n d h a s b e e n m o re fu lly in v e s tig a te d , e sp e c ia lly a s th e
a u th o r ity ol th e H is to ir e d e s P o is so n s h a s c o n s e c r a te d a ve ry
s im ila r a p p e lla tio n to t r u t ta , to a d is tin c t sp e c ie s . O f G .
F o r s te r ’s fig u re s , th e o n e n um b e r e d 211 in tb e v o lum e , a n d
m a rk e d S c ia n a t r u t t a &, c lo s e ly r e s em b le s s a la r in form,
a n d in th e sp o ts o f th e b a c k fo n n in g tra n sv e rs e b a rs .
N um b e r 2 1 0 , w h ic h , lik e th e p r e c e d in g , is a n u n fin ish e d
p e n c il sk e tc h , was e x e c u te d from a sp e c im e n ta k e n in
Q u e e n C h a r lo tte ’s S o u n d o n th e 7 lh o f N o v em b e r, 1774,
a n d r e p r e s e n ts a m o re s le n d e r fish th a n o n r w i t h th e
sp o ts a b o v e th e l a t e r a l lin e le s s u n ifo rm ly ro u n d , a n d n o t
d is p o s e d in tr a n sv e r s e row s . I t sh ow s a lso a lo n g e r soft
d o rs a l, w ith i t s l a s t r a y a u d th a t o f th e a n a l m o re a b r
u p tly p ro d u c e d ; th e l a t te r fin a lso is lo n g e r a n d m o re
e v en . P a rk in s o n ’s fig u re , n um b e r 67, e x e c u te d a t O poo-
r a g e e , in N ew Z e a la n d , a n d 6 8 , d raw n in Q u e en C h a r lo
tte ’s S o u n d , se em to h a v e b e e n ta k e n from fish e s p r e c
is e ly s im ila r in form to F o r s te r ’s fig. 2 1 0 , a n d th e re fo re ,
i t m a y b e c o n c lu d e d , o f th e sam e sp e c ie s , b u t d iffe rin g iu
th e c h a r a c te r s a b o v e -m e n tio n e d , from h is 2 1 1 . T h e n am e s
in s c r ib e d o n P a rk in s o n ’s d r aw in g s a re M u llo id e s s a p id is -
s im u s , a n d S c ia n a m u llo id e s , b e s tow e d u p o n th em b y
S o la n d e r, w h o s e n o te s o n th e s p e c ie s a r e refen-ed to a n d
p a r tly q u o te d in th e Z o o lo g ic a l T r a n s a c tio n s (iii. p . 79).
O u r f ig u re o f s a la r , wh ich is v e ry c o r r e c t, will e n a b le ic h th
y o lo g is ts w h o m a y h av e a n o p p o r tu n ity o f e x am in in g
g o o d c o lle c tio n s o f A u s tra lia n fish, to c le a r u p th e o b s c u r ity
in w h ich th e s e s p e c ie s a re s till inv o lv ed .
W e h a v e e ls ew h e re (p. 27) n o tic e d ih e som ew h a t in c o n g
ru o u s a s s em b la g e o f sp e c ie s in th e H is to ir e d e sP o is so n s ,
u n d e r th e g en e ric a p p e lla tio n o f C e n tro p r is te s ; a n d th e
a u th o r s o f th a t w o rk , a s w e h a v e s a id ab o v e , m en tio n th e
M æ n o id a s p e c t o f t r u tta c e u s , a s an in d ic a tio n o f its b e in g
th e ty p e o f a d is tin c t g en u s . S o la n d e r te rm s it, o r a v e ry sim ila
r sp e c ie s , J/w/Zotrfes, a n d F o r s te r s a y s t h a t t r i i t t a h 9.% m a n y
c la im s to r a n k w ith th e M u g ile s , b u t ta k in g th e whole o f
i t s c h a r a c te r s in to co n s id e ra tio n , h e was in d u c e d to p la c e
i t in th e g e n u s S c ia n a , w h ic h , in h is tim e , was m o re com p
r e h e n s iv e th a n i t is now. T h e C e n tro p r is te s g e o rg ia n u s ,
w h ic h b e a r s a c lo s e a ffinity to s a la r , h a s b e e n ch o s en b y
th e I le v . L e o n a rd J e n y n s a s th e ty p e o f h is g e n u s A r r ip is ,
so n am e d b e c a u s e th e s c a le s o f th e b o d y a re d e s titu te o f
th e u su a l f a n -sh a p e d furrows o n th e ir co v e red ba se s. I n
s a la r th e s c a le s show d is tin c t th o u g h n o t s tro n g tra c e s o f
th e s e furrows, a s m a y b e o b s e rv e d in th e m a g n ified fig u re
o f a la te r a l s c a le (P la te X X . fig. 6), b u t we h a v e , n e v e rth e le
s s , th o u g h t i t r ig h t to p la c e i t in th e sam e g ro u p w ith
g e o rg ia n u s , em p lo y in g th e w o rd A r r ip i s fo r th e p re s e n t,
m e re ly a s th e n am e o f a su b g e n u s , from n o t b e in g a b le to
d e te rm in e s a tis fa c to rily th e p a r t o f th e sy s tem to wh ich
th e g ro u p o u g h t to b e re fe rred .
T h e form o f C e n tro p r is te s sa la r is d e s c r ib e d in th e
Z o o lo g ic a l T ra n s a c tio n s a s q u o te d a b o v e , a n d o u r fig u re s
s u p p ly am p le m e a n s o f com p a riso n w ith o th e r sp e c ie s .
A ll o u r sp e c im e n s h av e a sp a c e b e fo re a n d b e h in d th e eye
c o v e re d w ith a th ic k m u c o u s d e p o s it, re s em b lin g , in th a t
r e s p e c t, c e rta in s ta te s o f th e com m o n m a c k a re l, a n d th e
d isk o f th e p re o p e r c u lum is a lso v e in e d in a m a n n e r n o t
ve ry d is s im ila r to th e s am e p a r t in th a t fish . T h e sp e c im
e n s v a ry from s ix in c h e s to a fo o t in le n g th .
H a b . B a y o f Is la n d s , N ew Z e a la n d (S ir J am e s R o s s ) ;
P o r t A rth u r, V an D iem e n ’s L a n d (F . J . L em p rie re , E s q . ) ;
Q u e e n C h a r lo tte ’s S o u n d a n d N o rfo lk I s la n d (J. R . F o rs te r).
E l e g in u s f a l k l a n d ic u s . R ic h a rd s o n .
C h . S pec. E l . p r e o p e r c u lo su h -a n g u la to , p i n n d c a u d a
m a r g in e concava.
R a d i i : — B r . 6 ; D . 7 |— 1 |2 5 ; A. 1 )2 3 ; C. 154-; P , 2 3 ;
V. 1[5.
P la t e X X ., figs. 1, 2 , n a tu r a l s iz e ; fig. 3 m a g n ified .
T h i s E le g in u s is th e o b je c t o f a c o n s id e ra b le fish e ry a t
th e F a lk la n d I s la n d s , w h en c e i t is e x p o r te d , a fte r b e in g
c u r e d , to S o u th Am e ric a . I n th e forwa rd p o s itio n o f th e
v e n tra ls a n d th e p o re s o n th e jaw a n d h e a d , th is fish is
an a lo g o u s to N o to th e n ia , b u t its d e n titio n is d is s im ila r,
a n d i t s la te r a l lin e co n tin u o u s . T h e c h a r a c te r s b y w h ic h
th e g en u s is d is c rim in a te d from th e o th e r S c ia n id a ,
w ith w h ich i t is I'anged in th e H is to ir e d e s P o isso n s, a re
th e r e s ta te d to b e ,— th e e n tire p r e o p e rc u lum , sm a ll m o u th ,
lo n g a n a l, very la rg e p e c to r a ls , a n d ju g u l a r v en tra ls . O u r
fish h a s th e s e c h a r a c te r s , a n d in d e e d a n sw e rs p r e tty c lo se ly
to th e w h o le d e s c r ip tio n o f E le g in u s m a c lo v in u s , in th e
w ork a llu d e d to , b u t i t d iffe rs from th a t a n d th e o th e r two
d e s c rib e d sp e c ie s , in h a v in g fewer s p in e s in th e first dorsa l.
I h a v e h a d n o o p p o r tu n ity o f e x am in in g sp e c im e n s o f th e
k n ow n sp e c ie s , b u t th e p la te o f E . m a c lo v im is in th e
Voyage d e la C o q u ille (N o . 17), fa ils e n tire ly in g iv in g th e
g e n e ric a s p e c t, a n d is m a n ife s tly in a c c u r a te in th e la te ra l
lin e , a n d in o th e r p a r tic u la r s . T h e fig u re o f th e same
s p e c ie s , in th e H is to ir e de s P o isso n s (t. 115), giv e s th e
g e n e ra l a s p e c t w ith m o re s u c c e s s , b u t d iffe rs from fa l/c -
la n d ic u s in th e d is tr ib u tio n o f th e s c a le s o n th e low e r
lim b o f th e p re o p e rc u lum , iu th e form o f th e p e c to ra l,w h ic h
d o e s n o t co in c id e w ith th e d e s c rip tio n in th e te x t, in th e
firs t th re e ra y s o f e a ch o f th e v e rtic a l fin s n o t b e in g a p p
ro x im a te d to th e o th e r, a n d in th e w an t o f p o re s o n th e
h e a d . W e h a v e n o m e a n s o f ju d g in g w h e th e r th e s e d is c
re p a n c ie s b e sp e c ific , o r m e re ly om is s io n s a ris in g from
in a tte n tio n in th e a rtis t.
F o rm com p re s s ed , fusiform , s n o u t g ib b o u s , h e a d sm a ll.
E y e r a th e r sm a ll. P o s te r io r n a s a l o p e n in g p la c e d n e a re r
to th e e n d o f th e sn o u t th a n to th e eye. A n te r io r o p e n in g
v e ry m in u te , a n d c o n s id e ra b ly b e fo re th e h in d e r one.
J aw s m o d e ra te ly p ro tr a c tile . M a x illa ry sm a ll, a n d c a p a b
le o f b e in g a ll r e tr a c te d u n d e r th e p r e o rb ita r , e x c e p t th e
low e r corne r. M o u th c le ft a b o u t h a l f way to th e eye.
T e e th s h o r t, s len d e r, r a th e r o b tu s e , a n d e re c t, form ing
n a rrow , n o t c row d ed v illiform p la te s o n th e jaw s . T o n g u e
a n d ro o f o f th e m o u th sm o o th . P r e o rb ita r a n d sn o u t
s c a le le s s , a s a re a lso th e c o rn e r o f th e c h e e k n e x t th e
m o u th , th e low e r lim b o f th e p r e o p e r c u lum , th e in te ro p e r c
u lum , fore p a r t o f th e su b o p e rc u lum , a n d a l l th e jaw s .
T h e sc a le s o n th e to p o f th e h e a d a re sm a ll, a n d ru n forw
a rd to th e p o s te r io r n o s tr ils . T h e s c a ly c h e e k is lev e l
w ith th e u p p e r lim b o f th e p r e o p e r c u lum , a u d th e sc a le s
b e com e m in u te in ie rio rly , a n d te rm in a te v e ry u n e v e n ly .
T h e lim b s o f th e p re o p e rc u lum a re en tire . T h e o p e rc u lum
en d s in an o b tu s e fla t p o in t, b e y o n d w h ich th e m em b ra n o u s
lo b e o f tb e in te ro p e r c u lum e x te n d s . A w id e sh a llow n o tc h
slo p e s fo rw a rd s a b o v e th e o p e r c u la r p o in t, h a v in g its a n te r
io r c o rn e r a lso ro u n d e d . T h e form o f th e en tire g ill-
co v e r is tr ia n g u la r , w ith a b lu n tis h lip . T h e gill-m cm -
b r a n e s a re u n ite d b e n e a th , a u d a re s u p p o r te d b y s ix ra y s
on e a ch s id e . . ^
T h e sc a le s o f th e b o d y in s i tu sh ow c o n c e n tr ic fo ld s ot
c u tic le , a n d h a v e s tro n g ly to o th e d ed g e s . T h e la te r a l lin e
is tra c ed in th e u p p e r th ird o f th e h e ig h t, and is n e a r ly
s tr a ig h t, o r v e ry s lig h tly a r c h e d . I t is fo rm ed b y a s im p le
tu b e o n e a c h s c a le , w h ic h , w h en th e sp e c im e n is rem o v ed
from th e s p ir its , sp e e d ily sh rin k s in to a n a rrow fuiTow.
T h e r e a re fifty -e ig h t s c a le s in th e la te r a l lin e . A lin e o f
sim ila r tu b e s o r furrows is c o n tin u e d fom a rd s from th e
la te ra l lin e a lo n g th e tem p le s to th e e y e , a n d th e r e a re ,
a s in M u g il m a c ro le p id o iu s , e ig h t tu b ife ro u s s c a le s o n th e
c ra n ium , w h o s e a r r a n g em e n t is shown in fig. 2, P la te X X .
A se rie s o f p o r e s a lso e x is ts a lo n g e a c h lim b o f th e low e r
jaw , a n d ro u n d th e ed g e s o f th e p re o p e rc u la . Sm a ll sc a le s
a re d en s e ly tile d o n th e low e r h a lf o f tb e c a u d a l, a n d on
o n e -th ird o f th e p e c to ra l. A c le a r s tre a k c o in c id e s w ith
e a ch row o f s c a le s o n th e b o d y , a s in th e m u lle ts .
T h e v e n tra ls a re a tta c h e d u n d e r th e m id d le o f th e su b -
ope rcu lim i, be fore th e p e c to ra ls . T h e form o f th e p e c to ra l
is tria n g u la r, tb e fifth a n d s ix th r a y s b e in g the_ lo n g e s t,
a n d th e su p e rio r o n e s c lo s e ly in c um b e n t. T h e tip o f th e
fin, w h en tu rn e d b a c k , re a c h e s to th e e ig h th d o rs a l r a y , o r
s ix th a n a l o ne . T h e c a u d a l is s lig h tly c re s c e n tic a t th e
end.
T h e sp e c im e n s in th e c o lle c tio n a re n um e ro u s , a n d va ry
iu le n g th from five to fo u rte e n in c h e s .
H a b . T h e F a lk la n d Is la n d s .
P lo t o su s m ic r o c e p s . R ic h a rd so n .
Cu. S pec. P I . p a l l id ^ g u tta iu s m a im io ra tu sq u e , m a c u la
ohlongd s u p r a p in n a m p e c to ra lem ; c a p ite o c ta vam p a r tem
lo n g iiu d in is to tiu s a q u a n t i .
R a d i i ; ~ D . I j6— 9 2 ; A. 8 6 ; C . 8 ; ( = 1 8 6 ) ; P . 1 |9 ; V. 9.
P la te X X L , figs. 4 , 5 , n a tu r a l s iz e ; figs. 6 , 7, m ag n ified .
T h is P lo to su s , for w h ic h w e a re in d e b te d to th e in d u s t r y
o f M r. B y n o e , i s rem a rk a b le fo r th e sm a lln e s s o f its h e a d ,
which d o e s n o t e x c e e d tb e e ig h th p a r t o f th e e n tir e le n g th
o f tb e fish. T h e b r e a d th o f th e h e a d is su p e r io r to its
h e ig h t a t th e n a p e , a n d a b o u t o n e q u a r te r sh o r te r th a n its
le n g th to th e g ill-o p e n in g . T h e b o d y is h ig h e s t n e a r tb e
m id d le o f its le n g lb , a n d th e r e its th ic k n e s s is o n ly h a lf
i t s h e ig h t. T h e ta p e r in g from th e n c e to th e a c u te p o in t o f
th e ta il is g ra d u a l. T h e m o u th is o f m o d e ra te s iz e , th e
lip s th ic k ish a n d g r a n u la te d , e sp e c ia lly th e low e r o ne ,
w h e re th e so ft g ra in s a re in d is tin c t row s, two in th e m id d le
a n d th r e e o r fo u r la te ra lly . T h e te e th o n th e ja w s a re
c o n ic a l, w ith th e tip s tru n c a te d , a n d s ta n d in th r e e rows,
o f w h ich th e o u te r row is ta lle s t. T h e r e is a n a r row to o th le
s s sp a c e a t th e sym p h y s is o f the_ lowe r jaw , b u t in th e
u p p e r o ne th e d e n ta l p la te s a re c o n tig u o u s , T h e v e la a re
v e ry n a rrow , d e lic a te , a n d w a v e d o r c r e n a te d o n th e ed g e .
T h e te e th o n th e v om e r a re in five o r s ix rows, m o re w o rn
g e n e ra lly th a n th o s e on th e jaw s , a n d th e m id d le o n e s a re
th e h ig h e s t.
T h e b a rb e ls a re in fo u r p a irs , th e n a s a l o n e s b e in g th e
lo n g e s t, a n d re a c h in g b e y o n d th e m id d le o f th e p e c to r a ls .
T h e m a x illa ry b a rb e ls n e x t in le n g th r e a c h to th e g ill-
o p e n in g . T h e b a rb e ls o f th e low e r jaw a re sh o rte r, p a r tic
u la r ly th e in te r io r p a ir. T h e p o s te r io r n o s tr il o n th e
b a s e o f th e b a rb e l c o u ld a lo n e b e m a d e o u t, th e a n te r io r
o n e b e in g im p e rc e p tib le .
T h e to p o f th e h e a d is s tu d d e d w ith p o r e s , w h o s e tum id
lip s form l ittle ro u n d , soft g r a in s . T h e la te r a l lin e is
s tr a ig h t a n d fin e , b u t v e ry co n sp ic u o u s , a n d is fo rm e d o f a
ch a in o f sm a ll p o r e s o r tu b e s ra is e d ab o v e th e surfa c e .
T h e r e is n o p e r fo r a tio n in th e in te g um e n ts o f th e a x illa o f
th e p e c to r a l. T h e sp e c im e n h a s th e g e n ita l p a p i l la a n d
c au liflow e r-lik e a p p e n d a g e u s u a l in th e g en u s .
T h e ra y s o f th e fin s a re e n v e lo p e d in th ic k m em b ra n e ,
a n d w e re re c k o n e d w ith d ifficu lty . T h e sp in e s o f th e
p e c to r a l a n d f irs t d o rs a l a re sh o r te r th a n th e so ft ra y s , a n d
a re s e r r a te d , th e p e c to r a l sp in e on o n e s id e o n ly , th e d o rs a l
o n e o n b o th . T h e y a re e n v e lo p e d in sk in , b u t p ie r c e it
w h en h a n d le d (figs. 6, 7). T h e firs t d o rs a l is ta ll, and
ta p e rs to a filam e n to u s p o in t.
I n s p ir its th e sp e c im e n h a s a l ig h t b row n is h o r ye llow ish -
g r e y l in t, th ic k ly m o ttle d , fins in c lu d e d , w ith ro u n d
sp o ts a n d in d e f in ite b lo tc h e s o f p a le l e a d - g r e ^ T h e r e is
a n o b lo n g m a rk o n th e s id e ab o v e th e p e c to ra l.
T h e live r o f o u r sp e c im en h a d p e r ish e d , b u t th e r e c e s s e s
o n e a c h s id e o f th e firs t v e r te b r a for th e re c e p tio n o f its
u p p e r lo b e s e x is t. T h e p e rito n e um h a s a s ilv e ry lu s tr e .
T h e g u t, small fo r th e s iz e o f th e fish, is g a th e r e d iu folds
ro u n d th e m a rg in o f th e m e s e n te ry , a n d b e c om e s g ra d u a lly
o f le s s c a lib e r from th e oe so p h a g u s to n e a r th e an u s . I t s
u p p e r e n d w a s b la c k is h , h a v in g b e e n p ro b a b ly s ta in e d b y
th e food. A sm a ll q u a n tity o f ve ry so ft w e ll-d ig e s te d
m a tte r w a s c o n ta in e d in th e in te s tin a l c an a l.
DIMENSIONS.
L en g th of th e sp e c im en ................................................................... !>'20 inches.
„ from sn o u t to a n u s .............................................................. 2'ôO „
H a b . N o r lh -w e s t c o a s t o f A u s tra lia .
P lo t o su s m e g a s t o m u s . R ic h a rd so n .
C h . S p e c . PI . fu s c u s ,o b s c u r è p a r c ile r q u e g u t ta iu s ; c a p ile
q u a r tam p a r tem lo n g iiu d in is io tiu s e ffic ie n te , ore la.vo,
c i r r h is decern.
R a d i i : — B r . 1 1 ; D . I ) ! — 8 2 ; C. 1 6 ; A. 76. ( = 1 7 4 );
P . I l 9 ; V. 11.
P la te X X L , figs. 1, 2, 3, h a lf th e n a tu r a l siz e .
T h e diffe ren c e o f a s p e c t b e tw e e n th is fish a n d o th e r P io -
to s i a rise s chie fly from th e l e n g th o f th e h e a d , a n d th e l a rg e