n e s s o f th e orific e o f th e m o u th . T h e u p p e r lip h a s an
a d d itio n a l b a rb e l, a n d th e low e r o n e is g re a tly d ev e lo p ed .
T h e c o lle c tio n c o n ta in s b u t o n e sp e c im e n , rv h ich w a s
p ro c u r e d a t S id n e y , th e m o s t so u th e rn lo c a lity th a t h a s
b e e n n am e d fo r a S ilu ro id fish . T h is in d iv id u a l a p p e a r s
to h a v e b e e n in ju r e d o u th e e n d o f th e ta i l d u r in g life,
a s th e l a s t v e r te b ræ a re a n c h y lo s e d , u n e v e n a n d n o t sym m
e tr ic a l. T h e o rd in a ry fo rm o f th e ta il m a y , th e re fo re , b e
d iffe re n t from o u r fig u re , a n d m o s tp ro b a b ly m o re p o in te d .
T h e p ro p o r tio n a lly la rg e h e a d co n s titu te s a fo u r th p a r t
o f th e to ta l le n g th o f th e fish. I t s b r e a d th is o n e q u a r te r
le s s , a n d d o e s n o t q u ite e q u a l tw ic e its h e ig h t. I t is flat
ab o v e , w ith a w'ide s n o u t, a n d its p ro file d o e s n o t d e s c e n d
m u c h b e low th e le v e l o f th e b a c k . T h e ey e s a re r a th e r
n e a r e r to th e e n d o f th e sn o u t th a n to th e g ill-o p e n in g ,
a n d th e d is ta n c e b e tw e e n th em is n e a r ly eq u a l to th a t
b e tw e en th e o rb its a n d p o s te r io r n o s trils . T h e m o u th is
v e ry w id e , th e g a p e b e in g e n la rg e d a t th e s id e s b y a fold
o f th ic k d ila ta b le s k in . T h e u n d e r l ip is b ro a d , h a s a free
p o s te r io r fo u r-lo b e d e d g e b e tw e e n th e in te r io r su bm a x illa ry
b av b e ls , a n d is s tu d d e d o n its in n e r su rfa c e b y rows o f
m in u te , soft, b row n , frin g e d em in en c e s . T h e u p p e r lip is
m in u te ly c r e n a te d o n th e e d g e , a n d th e r e is a row
o f th e s am e b row n p a p illæ ro u n d th e f ro n t o f th e ro o f o f
th e m o u th , b e fo re th e v om e rin e te e th . T h e s e a re p ro b a b ly
o rg a n s o f to u c h , a s th e y a re to o sm a ll to b e o f s e rv ic e in
r e ta in in g th e food.
T h e somewhat con ica l b u t obtuse intermaxillary teeth
are d isp o sed in two small p a tch e s, n o t very pr e c ise in outlin
e , b ein g oval on one sid e o f the sym p h y sis and quadrangular
on the other. T h e p a tch e s o f te e lh on the lower
jaw are much larger, and o f a triangular form, and the
teeth o f the outer row on ly have the form o f the upper
o n e s, the rest b e in g c lo se ly se t, flat and round, in fact
pavem en t-lik e . T h e vomerine tee lh are wh o lly o f this
p avem en t form, and constitute a pretty large heart-shaped
p a tch , with the a p ex in front. T h e much smaller, c y lin drical,
and b lu n t pharyngeal te e lh stand in three rows
above and b e low , p r e sen tin g a naiTOw dental surface. The
interior rakers are subulate, b u t with obtuse tips, and the
others are soft crenated ridges ly in g across the arches.
T h e n a s a l b a rb e l r e a c h e s j u s t p a s t th e ey e . O n e n o s t
r il is p ie r c e d c lo se b e h in d its b a s e , th e o th e r is some
way b e fo re i t o n th e e x trem e ed g e o f th e lip . T h e m a x illa
ry b a rb e l is s lig h tly sh o r te r , a n d b e n e a th i t is a s till
sh o r te r o n e , s p r in g in g from n e a r th e c om e r o f th e m o u th ,
a b o v e tb e p a le , p e n d a n t fo ld o f th e l i p ; m a k in g , w ith th e
fo u r su bm a x illa ry b a rb e ls , te n in all.
T h e in te g um e n ts o f th e h e a d , b o d y a n d fins a re soft,
sm o o th , a n d la x . A c lu s te r o f p o r e s e x is ts o n th e to p o f
th e h e a d p o s te r io r ly ; th e r e is a n o th e r on e a c h s u p r a - s c a p
u la r re g io n , a n d a few so lita ry p o re s m ay b e d e te c te d
e ls ew h e re . T h e la te r a l lin e is e x tr em e ly iu d is tin c t. A
ro u n d h o le , o p e n in g th ro u g h th e in te g um e n ts a n d fa s c ia ,
e x i s t s in th e u p p e r an g le o f th e a x illa o f e a c h p e c to r a l fin.
I t le a d s to a s a c o f som e s iz e , s p re a d in g tow a rd s th e
in te rp a r ie ta l b o n e , th e h o llow o f th e h um e r a l c h a in , a n d
a lso p o s te r io r ly ; b u t th e r e a p p e a r s to b e u o com m u n ic a t
io n w ith th e g ills , o r a n y in te r io r c av ity , su c h a s e x is ts in
som e o th e r S ilu ro id s . T h e c o n ic a l g e n ita l p a p illa o v e rto
p s th e c au liflow e r-lo o k in g a p p e n d a g e b e h in d it. T h e
l a tte r ris e s b y a s le n d e r s tem , fo rm in g a d e e p p i t , a u d
sp re a d s o u t, d iv id in g m idw a y in to m a n y b lu n t p ro c e s s e s ,
wh ich give i t th e c au liflow e r fo n n . A sm a ll froe n um ru n s
from th e b a s e o f th e g e n ita l p a p illa to th e ro o t o f th e a p p
e n d a g e , a n d a m in u te p o r e w a s o b s e rv e d on th e p o s te r io r
su rfa c e o f th e p a p illa , b u t I c o u ld n o t d e te c t th e orific e in
fro n t.
T h e first d o rs a l is le s s lo fty a n d t a p e r in g th a n in th e .
o th e r sp e c ie s , a n d is c o n n e c te d to th e s e c o n d b y a loose
fold o f skin. I t s sp in e , a n d th a t o f th e p e c to r a l fin, a re
s e r r a te d , a s u su a l, b u t th e y a r e e n v e lo p e d a n d c om p le te ly
c o n c e a le d b y th ic k in te g um e n t.
T h e fish , a s p r e s e rv e d in s p ir its , h a s a d a rk b row n
c o lo u r, w ith v e ry fa in t, in d ic a tio n s o f sm a ll sp o ts o n th e
b o d y a n d fins.
O n o p e n in g th e b e lly , tw o lo b e s o n ly o f th e liv e r are
se e n a t th e u p p e r p a r t o f th e c a v ity , w ith th e fu n d u s o f a
la rg e g a ll-b la d d e r p ro je c tin g from b e n e a th a n u n d u la tio n
o f th e r ig h t lo b e , w h ic h m a y b e co n s id e re d a s a lo b u lu s
S p ig e lii. O n m o v in g th e in te s tin e , howeve r, a lo n g n a r row
p ro c e s s o f th e r ig h t lo b e is d is co v e red ru n n in g d ow n
th e s id e o f th e c av ity n e a r ly to th e p e lv is. W h e n th e liv e r is
r a is e d , tw o l a rg e lo b e s a re w ith d raw n th ro u g h a n o v a l o p e n in
g , from a c av ity on e a c h s id e o f th e la rg e firs t v e rteb ra .
T h is c a v ity is lin ed b y a p ro c e s s o f th e p e r ito n e um , a n d
th e s id e s o f th e o p e n in g le a d in g to .it a re s tr e n g th e n e d b y
a n a lm o s t te n d in o u s th ic k e n in g o f th e p e rito n e um . T h e
s e p tum o r d ia p h ra gm , w h ic h s e p a r a te s th e th o r a x from th e
b e lly , is u n u su a lly s tro n g , w ith a sh in in g te n d in o u s lu s tre .
T h e liv e r is a tta c h e d to it b y a c o ro n a ry m em b ra n e , w h ich
is p ie r c e d in tb e c e n tr e b y a la rg e v e s s e l, le a d in g to th e
h e a r t. B e s id e s th e fo u r p r in c ip a l lo b e s , w h ich fo n n , a s it
were, th e c o rn e r s o f th e liv e r, th e r e is a sm a lle r lo b e on its
u n d e r su rfa c e , above its m id d le , a n d th e re a re s ev e ra l sm a ll
p ro je c tio n s from th e c irc um fe re n c e o f th e v is cu s . T h e
le ft lowe r lo b e is ta p e r in g , p o in te d , b u t is n o t so lo n g as
th e r ig h t o n e . T h e liv e r is w h o lly d o tte d b y m in u te b la c k
p o in ts . T lie g a ll-b la d d e r is m o re th a n a n iu c h a n d a h a l f
lo n g in o u r sp e c im en .
T h e intestinal canal runs from the oesop h a gu s to the
an u s, w ith ou t much change o f caliber, and without cæca,
or stomachal dilatation. On enter ing the cavity o f the
b e lly , the gut is rather on the le ft side o f the sp in e , but
it crosse s over to tbe right directly, and in its course to the
v ent b e in g th ick ly puckered on the margin o f a strong
mesentery. T h e lowe r h a lf o f the g u t is regularly speckled
on its peritoneal surface with m inute black dots, and within
an in ch and a h a lf o f th e anus the co a ts o f the gut are
thickened, and it acquires a dark colour inleiTially.
W h e n th e in te s tin e s a re rem o v ed , two lo n g , na rrow , u n d
iv id e d b o d ie s [testes] a re se en ly in g a lo n g th e sp in e in
th e p e r ito n e um , a n d b e tw e e n th em , n e a r th e an u s , is th e
u rin a ry b la d d e r. T h e p e rito n e um se em ed to co v e r a c av ity
in o u r sp e c im e n , a u d o n r a is in g it, m u c h b row n d e c a y e d
m a tte r was o b se rv ed , th e r em a in s e v id e n tly o f th e b ro k e n
d ow n k id n e y s , m ix e d w ith fra gm e n ts o f a v e ry th ic k g lis te
n in g m em b ra n e , r e s em b lin g p a tc h e s o f a sb e s to s . T h is
m u s t h a v e b e e n th e b ro k e n c a p su le o f th e a ir-b la d d e r.
T h e a ir -b la d d e r it s e l f w a s e n tir e , b u t c o lla p s e d , a n d b e in g
e x am in e d u n d e r w a te r, was fo u n d to b e com p o s e d o f fo u r
la rg e lo b e s , tw o o f w h ic h la y in th e ho llow s o f th e first
v e rteb ra , a n d th e o th e r tw o p ro je c te d d o w n w a r ÿ n e a r ly
h a lf way to th e an u s . T h e c a v itie s for lo d g in g th e u p p e r
lo b e s were s e p a r a te d from th o s e w h ic h c o u ta in e d th e u p p e r
p o rtio n s o f th e liv e r b y th e p e r ito n e um , a n d w e re l in e d b y
p ie c e s o f th e th ic k c a p su le , sh ow in g t h a t th is in v e s te d a ll
th e fo u r s e c tio n s o f th e a ir -b la d d e r . T h e s id e s o f th e la rg e
firs t v e r te b r a a re c o n c a v e , w ith a n a c u te d iv id in g lin e fa c in g
™ N Îf? n fo rm a tio n was fu rn ish e d to u s a s to th e h a b its o f
th e fish, o r how i t w a s c a p tu r e d . A sm a ll q u a n tity o f
fragm en ts o f m in u te P i n n a a n d C ru s ta c e a was c o n ta in e d in
th e g u t, a b o u t two in c h e s from th e oe so p h a g u s .
DIMENSIONS.
L » 6 t h o r i l i e s p e c m e n , n e . , l j ............................................... 20'00 iDcles.
„ from sn o u l to v en t ....................................................... » «
from vent to end o f ta il ^ »
H a b . S id n e y C o v e ; A u s tra lia .
B a g k o s VENATICUS. R i c h a r d s o n .
T h e n o r th -w e s t c o a s ts o f A u s tra lia n o u r is h tw o sp e c ie s
o f B a q rn s , a s in g le e x am p le o f e a c h h a v in g b e e n p ro c u r e d
th e r e b y B e n jam in B y n o e , E s q ., su rg eo n o f th e B e ag le .
B o th sp e c im e n s a re m u c h in ju r e d by th e sp o ilin g of th e
sp irits in w h ic h th e y we re im m e rs e d , a n d m o s t o f th e
b a rb e ls h a v e p e r is h e d , b u t m a n y o f th e ir c h a r a c te r s c an
still b e m a d e o u t. T h e y b e lo n g to th e sam e g ro u p w ith
B . h ilin e a h is , in w h ich th e n a s a l b a rb e l is r e p la c e d b y a
sm a ll lid . I n g e n e ra l form th e y a p p ro a c h th e go gora of
B u c h a n a n -H am ilto n p r e tty c lo s e ly , b u t th e u p p e r li]) is
n o t so p rom in e n t a s in h is fig u re , a u d th e c a u d a l is m ore
d e e p ly forked. T h e ra y s o f th e an a l fin a re m o re n u m
e ro u s th a n in a n y s p e c ie s o f th e g ro u p d e s c r ib e d in th e
H is to ir e de s Poissons.
T h e la rg e r sp e c im e n is 8 ^- in c h e s lo n g , a n d for th e sak e
o f re fe ren c e , i t is n am e d v e n a tic u s , in a llu s io n to th e B e a gle,
th o u g h we c a n n o t, from its co n d itio n , give a c o rre c t
d e s c rip tio n o f it. Us c a s q u e is s tro n g ly g ra n u la te d , a n d
h a s th e form o f t h a t o i g o gora, e x c e p t th a t th e a p e x o f th e
in te rp a rie ta l p ro c e s s , wh e re i t m e e ts th e sm a ll c r e s c e n tic
b u c k le r o f th e d o rs a l fin, is s lig h tly ro u n d e d . T h e wid th
o f th e b a s e o f th is p ro c e s s is n e a r ly e q u a l to its le n g th .
T h e g r a n u la tio n s o f th e c a sq u e e x te n d fo rw a rd s to th e
m id d le o f th e o rb it, a n d th e m e s ia l m em b ra n o u s sp a c e is
ve ry n a rrow a n d ta p e r in g b e h in d , lia v in g its g re a te s t
b r e a d th e x a c tly b e tw e e n tb e ey e s. T lie la te r a l p ro c e s s o f
th e s u p ra -s c a p u la r is b ro a d a t tb e b a s e a n d tria n g u la r, a n d is
cov e red w ith a g r a n u la r sk in , b u t n o g ra n u la tio n s o f th e
b o n e sh ow th ro u g h th e in te g um e n t. T h e la te r a l lin e is
d is tin c tly m a rk e d from th e a p e x o f th is sp a c e to th e ta il.
T h e tria n g u la r p la te o f th e h um e r a l c h a in , w h ich fu rn ish e s
a so c k e t for th e h e a d o f th e p e c to r a l sp in e , is ro u g h ly a n d
d e ep ly s c u lp tu r e d , a n d its p o s te r io r c o rn e r is a c u te a n d
p u n g e n t. A p a r t o f th e o p e rc u lum a t its a r tic u la r a n g le
is m a rk ed b y r a d ia tin g ro u g h lin e s , b u t th e p reo jje rc u lum
a n d in te ro p e rc u lum a re sm ooth.
T h e tw o -e d g e d a c u te d o rs a l sp in e is in h e ig h t e q u a l to
th e le n g th o f th e g r a n u la te d c a sq u e , in c lu d in g i t s in le r -
p a r ie ia l p ro c e s s , a n d is g r a n u la te d in fro n t from th e b a s e
to its m id d le , a n d a c u te ly s e r r a te d from th e n c e to th e lip.
I t is a little u n d u la te d p o s te rio rly , n e a r th e tip . T h e p e c to
ra l sp in e is eq u a l in le n g th to th e d o rs a l o n e , a n d is
s tro n g ly s e r r a te d o n b o th s id e s , from th e tip d ow nw a rd s ,
th e s e r r a tu r e s c e a s in g p o s te rio rly a b o u t o n e - th ird o f th e
l e n g th from th e b a s e , a n d g iv in g p la c e to g r a n u la tio n s
n e a r th e b a s e a n te rio rly . T b e jo in te d ra y s o f th e lin s a re
c o n s id e r a b ly in ju r e d , a n d c a n n o t b e c o ir e c lly m a d e o u t,
b u t th e n um b e rs , a s n e a r ly a s c a n b e a s c e r ta in e d , a re a s
fo llow s :—
R a d i i :—D . 1)9, o r m o r e ; — 0 ; A. a b o u t 3 0 ; C. 1 7 | ;
P . 1113; V . a b o u t 8 .
T h e u p p e r lo b e o f th e c a u d a l is r a th e r th e lo n g e s t.
T h e te e th a re sh o rt, v illifo rm . T h e f ro n t o f th e v om e r
s u p p o r ts two sm a ll ro u n d ish d e n ta l p la te s , w h ich a d h e r e
to e a c h o th e r. T h e p a la tin e p la te s a re b o th b ro a d e r a n d
lo n g e r. . ■ t ,-
T h e p o in ts o f th e rib s sh ow th ro u g h th e s km , a s m Oili-
n e a tu s , a n d th e a llie d sp e c ie s .
T h e co lo u rs a re d a rk g re y ish -b lu e on th e b a c k , a n d
w h ile o n th e b e lly ,— th e lin t s o f th e fins a re to ta lly lost.
H a b . N . W . c o a s t o f A u s tra lia .
B .a g ru s v e r t a g u s . R ic h a rd s o n .
R a d i i :— B, 6 ; D. 1 |6 v e l 7— 0 ; A. 28 ; P . 1 |9 ; V. 9 ?
T h is fish w a s d is c o v e r e d b y th e o fficers o f th e sam e
sh ip who fo u n d th e p r e c e d in g o n e , a n d its sp e c ific n am e
h a s a s im ila r o rigin. T h e on ly sp e c im e n w e h a v e re c e iv e d
w a s u n fo rtu n a te ly too m u c h in ju r e d to a dm it o f a c o rre c t
fig u re b e in g d raw n , a n d th e d e s c r ip tio n m u s t lik ew is e be
c o n s id e r e d a s imp e rfe c t. I t b e lo n g s to th e s am e g ro u p
o f B a g r i with v e n a tic u s .
T h e d o rs a l sp in e is p ro p o r tio n a lly s h o r te r th a n th a t o f
th e s p e c ie s j u s t n am e d , b e in g m e re ly e q u a l in le n g th to
tb e sp a c e b e tw e e n its b a s e a n d th e o rb it, o r to th e c a sq u e ,
e x c lu d in g th e in te i-p a rie ta l p ro c e s s . T h e p e c to r a l sp in e
is s tro n g ly s e r r a te d o n b o th side s, a n d e x c e e d s th e d o rs a l
o n e in le n g th . T h e a d ip o s e fin is r a th e r la rg e r th a n th a t
o f B . gogora, a n d is n e a r ly o f th e sam e sh a p e , b u t its fore
ed g e is a little w av ed , a t th e sp o t w h e re i t s in k s to th e
le v e l o f th e b a c k . T h e ta il is d e e p ly forked.
T h e c a sq u e , le s s g r a n u la te d th a n th a t o f B . v e n a tic u s ,
h a s th e sam e g e n e ra l ibrm. I t is sha llow ly s c u lp tu r e d , as
f a r fo rw a rd a s th e o rb its , in a p a t te rn s im ila r to w h a t is
n am e d ru s tic w o rk b y b u ild e r s . T h e a p e x o f th e in te r p
a r ie ta l p ro c e s s is c r e s c e n tic , a n d llu is fits m o re e x a c tly to
th e cu rv e o f th e b u c k le r th a n th a t o f v e n a tic u s . T h e
su b u la te p ro c e s s o f th e su p r a - s c a p u la r is c lo th ed w ith
sm o o th in te g um e n t. T h e su rfa c e o f th e h um e r a l ch a in
ab o v e th e p e c to r a l is m o re sm o o th , a n d n o t so d is lin c lly
se en a s th a t o f v e n a tic u s , n o r is its a n g le so p u n g e n t.
T h e v om e rin e te e th a re d isp o s e d in two sm a ll s e p a ra te
p la te s , a n d th e p a la tin e te e th fo rm a s till sm a lle r p la te
n e a r e a c h c o rn e r o f th e m o u th . T h e b a rb e ls a re s ix in
n um b e r , b u t th e y were too m u c h in ju r e d in th e sp e c im en
to adm it o f ib e ir le n g th b e in g a s c e rta in e d .
T h e lin ts o f th e sp e c im e n , a s fa r a s its s ta te p e rm its u s
to ju d g e , a re sk y -b lu e on th e b a c k , w ith s ilve ry s id e s a n d
b e lly . N o sp o ts now e x is t.
L e n g th , th r e e in c h e s .
H a b . N o rth -w e s t c o a s t o f Au stra lia .