s p le e n , s h a p e d lik e th e h e a d o f a n a n w , a tta c h e d to its
b e n d . T h e s e p a r t s a re r e p r e s e n te d in th e f ir s t w o o d c u t,
a li t t le s e p a ra te d , th a t th e ir form m ay b e b e t te r se en . On
r em o v in g th e liv e r, th e in te s tin e s com e in to v iew , a s in th e
s e c o n d cu t. A th ic k , d a rk p u rp le , m u s c u la r oe so p h a g u s
o p e n s in to a w id e , w h ite , o v a te s tom a c h , w ith a n a rrow g u t
p a s s in g from th e r ig h t o f i t s fu n d u s , m a k in g a s h o r t s ig m
o id fle x u re , a n d e n te r in g a w id e c o lo n , w h ic h i s tra v e rs e d
b y a sp ir a l valve. A n am p le r e c tum c om p le te s th e c an a l,
a n d is sh ow n in th e c u t, su s p e n d e d b y a p o r tio n o f th e
m e s e n te ry , w ith a g la n d c lo s e to it . T h e te s te s a re drawn
to th e rig h t, th a t th e y m a y b e s e en , a n d a b o v e th em th e r e
i s a g la n d u la r b o d y , com p o s e d o f la rg e c om p re s s ed a c in i,
w h ic h s e p a r a te from e a c h o th e r w h e n th e c o n ta in in g c a p su
le is ru p tu re d . T h e c u ts sh ow th e v is c e r a o f th e ir
p ro p e r s iz e , a u d w e h a v e u s e d th e te rm s r ig h t a u d le f t in
r e fe re n c e to th e ir n a tu r a l p o s itio n in th e fish , w ith its b e lly
d ow nw a rd s .
DIMENSIONS.
L en g th from the en d o f the sn o u t to the tip o f the ta il ... 22-Ó0 inches.
„ „ first dorsal
¡ntrals
la st
6-88
6-40
3'50
2-50
2-73
1-50
„ first ditto
„ pectorals
„ spiracles
„ eye ........................ V35
„ mo u th .................. 0 38
Distan ce helween th e a n u s a n d ta il fin..................................... 11-35
L en g th o f claspers a lo n g th e ir interior edges ......................... 2 '7 0
„ Uul fin , two u n d e r lobes ............................................ 3 ‘80
P la te X X V I I I ., fig. .5.
T h is fig u re is co p ie d from a d raw in g o f a foe ta l sh a rk b y
D r . H o o k e r , e x e c u te d o n th e A u s tra lia n c o a s t. M ü lle r
a n d H e n le s ta te th a t th e A c a n th ia s v u lg a r is is a n in h a b
i t a n t o f th e s o u th e rn s e a s , a n d th a t th e y o u n g a re sp o tte d
w ith white . T h e y s ay n o th in g , h ow ev e r, o f th e b la ck
p a tc h e s on th e fins, a n d we h a v e , th e re fo re , in tro d u c e d th e
fig u re , th a t i t m a y b e c om p a r e d w ith e q u a lly y o u n g e x am p
le s o f th a t spe c ie s.
R y n c h a n a g r e y i . R ic h a rd s o n .
Species unica adhuc detecta.
R a d i i :— B r. 3 ; D . 3 )1 1 ; A. 2 )7 ; C . 19j - ; P . 1 1 ; V. 9.
P l a t e X X IX ., figs. 1, 2 , 3 , 4, 5, G.
W e ow e th is rem a rk a b le C y p rin o id to H i s E x c e lle n c y
C a p ta in G eo rg e G re y , L ie u te n a n t-G o v e rn o r o f W e s t A u s tr
a lia , w h o s e e x e r tio n s in th e c a u s e o f Z o o lo g y h a v e b e e n
p ro d u c tiv e o f s e v e ra l im p o r ta n t d is c o v e rie s . O n e C y p r in
o id [P ty ch o lep is ) h a d b e e n p re v io u s ly d e te c te d a t th e
n o r th e rn e x tr em ity o f A u s tra lia , a n d th e e x is te n c e o f
a n o th e r in th e so u th -w e s te rn c o rn e r o f th a t la n d , n ow a s c
e r ta in e d , is a n im p o r ta n t f a c t in th e h is to ry o f th e g eog
ra p h ic a l d is tr ib u tio n o f fish. F u r th e r r e s e a rc h e s will
p ro b a b ly show, th a t th e a b s e n c e , o r ev en r a r ity o f m em b
e rs o f th is fam ily in th a t d is tr ic t o f th e wo rld , h a s b e e n
eiToneously a s s e r t e d ; a n d w h en o ne re fle c ts th a t th e C y -
prin id c e a re n um e ro u s in J a v a , ancl th e a d jo in in g c h a in o f
is la n d s , a r e a so n a b le h o p e is n a tu r a lly e x c ite d , o f th e
ex is te n c e o f s im ila r s p e c ie s o n th e o p p o s ite , a n d n o t far
d is ta n t n o rth -w e s te rn c o a s ts o f A u s tra lia . A fam ily w h ich
is a lm o s t w h o lly lo c a te d in fi'esh w a te rs , c a n n o t b e ve ry
a b u n d a n t in th e sm a ll is la n d s o f P o ly n e s ia ; b u t th e m a rin
e sp e c ie s a b o v e a llu d e d to tra v e rs e s T o r r e s S tr a its to
th e is la n d o f T a n n a . T h e r iv e r s o f th e s o u th e rn p a r t s o f
Austra lia , b e in g m o re lik e m o ra s s e s , o r s tr in g s o f p o n d s o f
im p u re w a te r, th a n h e a lth y stream,s, a re u n s u ila b le fo r th e
n o u rishm e n t o f m a n y k in d s o f fish ; b u t w ith in th e tro p
ic s , w h e re p e rio d ic a l a n d a b u n d a n t r a in s fa ll, th e riv e rs,
w h e th e r sm a ll o r la rg e , a re lik e ly to b e o f a v e ry d iffe ren t
ch a ra c te r, a n d to n o u rish m a n y k in d s o f fish. I c h th y o lo g y
h a s h ith e r to b e e n c o n s id e re d a s so s e c o n d a ry a n o b je c t,
th a t few o r n o n e o f o u r su rv e y in g o ific e rs h a v e p u rsu e d
th e se a rc h for fish w ith p ro p e r n e ts , a n d in a s u ita b le
m a n n e r ; y e t, in a new c o lo n y e sp e c ia lly , a k n ow led g e o f
th e n e ig h b o u r in g f ish in g -b a n k s is o f th e firs t im p o rta n c e ,
a n d m ay b e tu r a e d to g o o d a c c o u n t.
S ir J am e s R o s s ’s su c c e s s in th e d is c o v e ry o f n o v e l and
in te re s tin g forms o f fish , m a y b e a t tr ib u te d to th e c o n s ta n t
em p lo ym en t o f a tow in g n e t, a n d to h is u s e o f a d re d g e
w h en ev e r p r a c tic a b le . T h e s tom a c h s o f s e a ls a n d s e a b
ird s were e x p lo re d w ith su c c e s s b y h im a n d D r. H o o k e r.
T h e C y p rin o id we h a v e a t p r e s e n t to d e s c r ib e , is q u ite
a n ew form, a n d w h e n th e fig u re s in P la te 2 9 were d raw n ,
ou r on ly m a te ria ls were two d r ie d sp e c im e n s from W e s t
A u s tr a lia ; b u t w ith in a few d a y s we h a v e h a d , th ro u g h th e
k in d n e s s o f P ro fe s so r Owen, an o p p o r tu n ity o f in sp e c tin g
a sp e c im en , very p e rfe c tly p re s e rv e d in s p ir its , s e n t from
N ew Z e a la n d b y C a p ta in S ir E v e r a rd H om e , o f th e N o r th
S ta r. W e a re th e re b y e n a b le d to give som e an a tom ic a l
p a r tic u la r s , a n d to am e n d th e d e s c r ip tio n o f th e lip s , w h ich
is n o t q u ite co rre c tly given in fig. 3 , ow in g to th e c o n tr a c tio
n o f th e p a r ts in d ry in g . T h i s is rem e d ie d b y th e in tro d
u c tio n o f a w o o d -cu t, e x h ib itin g th e m o n th , w h e n c lo s ed .*
i T h e stom a ch c o n ta in e d som e b la c k ish m a tte r, m ix e d
J w ith gi-ains o f s a n d , a n d betw-een th e g ills rverc fragm en ts
o f a tu rb in a te d sh e ll, o ld a n d w o rn , w h ic h h a d b e e n lo n g
3 d e ad , a n d e v id e n tly ta k e n in to th e m o u th a lo n g with th e
I m a tte rs o u w h ich th e fish p re y e d . T h e fra gm e n ts rvere
m u c h too la rg e to p a s s th e oe so p h a g u s . T h is s e em s to b e
ev id en c e o f th e fish fin d in g its food am o n g th e s a n d o r
mu d o f th e b o ttom , a s in d e e d its form a n d p o s itio n , so
sim ila r to th e m o u th s o f th e s tu rg e o n s , w o u ld le a d u s
n a tu ra lly to infer.
* Even lliis c u t docs n o t ex hibit th e rostral barbel an d the labial
papillæ so clearly as 1 could ba> e wished.
T h e fo llow in g is a sum m a ry o f its m o s t rem a rk a b le
e x te rn a l c h a ra c te rs .
R y n c h a n a , I . e. pvyxoiva, n a su ta .
F o rm a e lo n g a to , in t e r C y p rin id a s lo n g issim a .
C a p u t co n ic um u h iq u e p r a t e r la b ia sq u am o sum .
R o s trum u l t r a o sc itlum p ro d u c tio n , c o n ic um , a c u tu m , in f r à
c ir rh o p á r v u lo , m e d ia n o , so lita r io su p p e d ita ium .
O s c u lum in fe r u m , a d s u g e n d um u p tu rn , r ic tu p a tu lo s em i -
ro iu n d o . L a b ia tra n s v e r s im su lc a ta p a p illo sa c ilia ta .
L a b iu m su p e rum ad- a n g u lum or is lo b u la tu rn . L a b iu m
in fe r u m tr i- lo h u la ium .
D e n te s p h a iy n g e i, breves, g r a c ile n ii, c y lin d r ic i, i r n n c a t i ,
s u b p a v im e n la li.
R a d ii b r a n c h io s te g i 1res. M em b r a n a b r a n c h io s te g a c um
g u lo coalescens e t a p e r tu r a m so lum m o d o v e r tic a lem
lim ita n s .
P in n a d o rs i bre v is, v e n tra le s v a ld è r e tro p o s ita s oppo-
n e n s : sp in is v a lid is n u llis . P in n a a n i i n m e d io in te r
p in n a s d o r s i c a u d a q u e p o s ita . P i n n a om n e s in te r
r a d io s sq u am o sa . A p p e n d ic e s lo n g a a c u m in a ta sq u a m
o sa s u p r a p in n a s p e c to ra le s e t v e n tr a le s p ro te n soe .
S q u am æ p a r v a v a lid e c i l ia ta .
L in e a la te r a lis re c ta , dorso p a r a lle la .
C æ c a p y lo r ic a c ir c ite r q u in q u é . V e s ic a p n e um á tic a
n u lla :
F o rm lin e a r , s u b -q u a d r ila te r a l, w ith th e c om e r s m u c h
ro u n d e d , th e t a i l b e h in d th e d o rs a l ta p e r in g , a n d a t th e
sam e lim e b e c om in g c om p re s s e d , a n d q u ite th in a t th e
o rig in o f th e c au d a l. A t th e b a s e o f th is fin, a b o v e a n d
b e low , th e r e is a s h o r t a c u te ke e l. T lie h e ig h t an te rio rly
a n d th e th ic k n e s s a re e q u a l to o n e a n o th e r , a n d to on e -
twe lfth p a r t o f th e w h o le le n g th .
T h e h e a d fo rm s a s e v e n th o f th e le n g lb , is co n ic a l,
m u c h ro u n d e d a b o v e a n d fla ttish b e n e a th , a n d o n th e g ill-
p la te s . I t ta p e r s g ra d u a lly to th e tip o f th e a c u te sn o u t.
T b e ey e , o v a l a n d r a th e r la rg e , is s itu a te d m idw ay b ew e e n
th e tip o f th e sn o u t a n d th e g ill-o p e n in g , a n d its a x is
e q u a ls a fo u rth o f th e le n g th o f th e h e a d . I t e n c ro a c h e s
o n th e p ro file , a n d th e sp a c e b e tw e e n th e o rb its e x c e e d s
th e v e rtic a l d iam e te r o f th e eye. B e fo re th e e y e , a n d a t a
g r e a te r d is ta n c e from i t th a n from th e tip o f th e sn o u t, a re
th e two sm a ll a n d q u ite c o n tig u o u s o p e n in g s o f th e n o s tril,
o n e a c h sid e . A sm a ll b a rb e l d e p e n d s from th e
m id d le lin e o f th e sn o u t b e n e a th , b e fo re th e no strils.
M idw ay b e tw e en tb e e y e a n d tip o f th e sn o u t is th e
m o u th , e n tire ly o n th e u n d e r su rfa c e o f th e h e a d , a n d
o p e n in g d ow nw a rd s . I t s sm a ll orific e , w h e n fu lly e x te
n d e d , is sem i-o v a l, a p p ro a c h in g to a s em ic irc le , th e u p p e r
l ip b e in g v au lted a u d th e lowe r o n e tra n sv e rs e . T h e lip s
a re th ic k , a n d so ftly g r a n u la r , o r p a p illo s e , a n d a re c ilia te d .
O n th e u p p e r lip “th e soft g ra in s a re in row s , a n d th e
c irrh i a re m e re ly th e p a p illæ in a u e lo n g a te d , ta p e r in g
form, b e in g lo n g e s t a t th e c o rn e r s o f th e m o u th , w h e re th e
lip e n d s in a lo o se lo b e , o r la p p e t. E x c e p t a t th is p la c e ,
th e c ir rh i o f th e u p jie r l ip a re o n its in te r io r ed g e , a n d
som ew h a t r e s em b le a row o f t e e th , a s in th e g e n u s S a n d i n a
o f Gvav, (C ir r h in iis , M cL e lla n ; E o h ita , V a le n c ie n n e s ).
O n th e low e r lip , th e c ir rh i a re a m in u te frin g e to its