th e M e d ite r r a n e a n a n d a d jo in in g d is tric ts o f th e A tla n tic ,
o u e to th e C a n a r ie s , o n e to th e s e a o f J a p a n , a n d two to
th e s e a s o f A u s tra lia . T h e c h ie f p e c u lia r itie s o f th e s p e c
ie s n ow f ir s t n am e d a re in d ic a te d in th e sp e c ific c h a r a c te r
g iv en ab o v e . I t ag re e s w ith M . s tr om ii o f R h e in h a rd t, a n d
tlie M .c te lo r r h y n c hm o f th e M e d ite r r a n e a n a n d M a d e ir a ,in
th e s c a le s b e in g a rm e d on th e e x p o s e d p a r t o f th e ir d isk
b y s le n d e r s u b u la te o r s e ta c e o u s sp in e s , n o t d isp o s e d in any
d e fin ite o rd e r . M . fa h r i c i i (S u n d ev a ll), M .s c le ro i-h y n c h u s
(V a le u c ie n n e s ), a n d M . a u s tr a lis (R ic h a rd so n , Z o o l. iii. p .
151, p i. 8 , & 1) h a v e th e s c a le s a rm e d w ith sp in e s r a n g e d
in rows a n d in c um b e n t on e a c h o th e r , fo rm in g to o th e d
rid g e s . T h e tra c h y r h y n c h u s o f th e M e d ite r r a n e a n , a u d
ja p o n i c u s (T e inm . e t S c h le g ; K ru s e n s tem , t. 6 0 , f. 8 , 9),
d iffe r from th e o th e rs , in h a v in g ta p e r in g a c u te sn o u ts .
O u r sp e c im e n o f M . d e n tic u la tu s w a s th row n u p o n tlie
b e a c h o f S o u th A u s tra lia , a n d h a s lo s t th e e n d o f its ta il.
I t was d r ie d , a n d th e s o il p a r ts a b o u t th e s n o u t h a v e s h r iv
e lle d aw a y , so th a t th e tru e fo rm o f th a t p a r t is s till
u n k n ow n . T h e m o u th a p p e a r s to b e m o re n e a r ly te rm in a l
th a n in th e o th e r sp e c ie s , a n d is c e r ta in ly m u ch m o re so
th a n in M . a tis tr a lis . T h e ey e a lso is la rg e r , a n d th e fla t
c h e e k a n d s lo p in g d isk o f th e p re o p e r c u lum d o u o t t a p e r to
a p o in t a s in t h a t sp e c ie s . T h e r e is a th in tem p o r a l rid g e ;
th e f ir s t d o rs a l is ta ll, th e s e c o n d o n e low, a n d c om m en c
in g a g o o d way b e h in d th e an u s . T h e f ir s t v e n tr a l r a y t e r m
in a te s in a s le n d e r filam e n t, a n d th e u p p e r jaw' is a rm ed
b y lo n g e r a n d m o re w id e ly s e t te e th th a n th a t o f a u s tra
lis . A s c a le from th e la te r a l lin e is shown in p i. 3 2 , fig.
3 , a u d o n e from a n o th e r p la c e o n th e s id e in fig. 4.
H ab. C o a s ts o f S o u th A u s tra lia .
N o ta c .a n t h u s s e x s p in is . R ic h a rd s o n .
C h . S p e c . N . c a p ite conico, ro stro obiuso ; a p ic ib u s d e n -
t iu m la n c e o la l i s ; p in n i s p e c io r is a d a p e r tu r a m b r a n c
h ia r u m a p p r o x im a tis .
R a d i i :— D . 6 | l ; A .1 4 |— ? P . 1 3 v e l l 4 ; \ . ^ { 2 , c t i m
p a r i suo co n ju g a td .
P la t e X X X I I ., figs. 4 , 5, 7, 8, 9, n a t. s i z e ; 6 , 1 0 , l l ,m a g n .
T h e s p e c im e n from w h ic h o u r fig u re was m ad e , was
th row n a sh o re in K in g G eo rg e ’s S o u n d , a n d h a s lo s t p a r t
o f i ts ta il. I t w a s p r e p a r e d s im p ly b y d ry in g , a n d o n so ak in
g i t well in w a te r i t r e sum e d i t s fo rm e r d im en s io n s , in
w h ic h s ta te it was d raw n b y th e a r tis t. I n g e n e r a l fo rm i t
r e s em b le s N . n a su s ,* b u t th e s n o u t, th o u g h b lu n t a t th e
p o in t, is m o re e x a c tly c o n ic a l, a n d th e p ro file , in s te a d o f
b e in g g ib b o u s j u s t b e h in d th e e y e , h a s a g e n tle s tr a ig h t
d e c liv ity wh ich u n ite s im p e r c e p tib ly w ith th e d o rs a l lin e .
T h e m o u th is f a r th e r b a c k th a n in n a su s , th e f ro n t p a r t of
th e c le ft b e in g u n d e r th e n o s tr ils a n d th e p o s te r io r c o rn e r
o p p o s ite to th e m id d le o f th e ey e . T h e m a x illa ry fo rk s a t
th e low e r e n d , its u p p e r p ro n g b e in g a n a c u te su b u la te
* Not. nasus ; fro n ts gihbo ; dentibus suhulatis p a rum compressis;
p innis pectoris ab aperturd branchiarum remotis.
R adii;—D. 11 A. C. 13 136; P, 16; V. 3'8.
sp in e , a n d th e low e r o u e a th in lin e a r s lip o f b o n e w h ic h
cu rv e s s lig h tly ro u n d th e c o rn e r o f th e m o u tli, a n d is c o n c
e a le d iu th e th ic k n e s s o f th e lip . I n N . n a su s , th e u p p e r
lip fo n n s a n o b tu s e p e n d u lo u s lo b e a t th e c o rn e r o f th e
m o u th , a n d th e m a x illa ry h a s a lso a sp in o u s p o in t, w h ic h is
r e p r e s e n te d in p i. 55, fig. 2 o f (he n ew F r e n c h e d itio n o f th e
‘ R è g n e A n im a l,’ b u t om itte d b y B lo c h . J u d g in g from th e
F r e n c h fig u re , th e n a k e d p a r ts a b o u t th e m o u th se em to be
m o re e x te n s iv e in na su s . i n se.v.spitiis th e s c a ly in te g u m
e n t c om e s c lo s e to th e u p p e r te e th , b u t th e lowe r lip is
n a k e d : th e r e s t o f th e h e a d is d e n s e ly s c a ly , so th a t th e
fo rm s o f th e b o n e s c a n n o t b e m a d e o ut.
T h e u p p e r te e th (fig. 10) a re c om p re s s e d , with la n c e o la te ,
a c u te tip s , w h ic h p o in t o b liq u e ly b a c kw a rd s . T h e u n d e r
on e s (fig. 11) a re c lo s e ly s e t, a n d h av e lia ir-lik e e r e c t stem s
w ith a c u te s lig h tly in c u rv e d lip s . T h e p a la tin e a n d v o m
e r in e te e th a re sm a lle r a n d m o re su b u la te th a n th o s e o f
th e lowe r j aw , a n d a re r a n g e d iu a s in g le s e rie s , fo rm in g
a n a rc w ith in th o s e o f th e u p p e r jaw . T h e r e a re a b o u t
tw e n ty o r iw e n ty -o n e on e a c h s id e o f th e u p p e r jaw , a n d
tw en ty -fo u r o n e a c h lim b o f th e low e r o ne . T h e s c a le s a re
sm a ll, o v a l, a u d im p re s s e d b y fine furrow s, which r a d ia te
from a n e c c e n tric p o in t. T h e la te r a l lin e is n e a r ly s tr a ig h t
a n d ru n s a b o v e th e m id d le o f th e h e ig h t.
T h e f ir s t d o rs a l sp in e s ta n d s o p p o s ite to th e p o s te r io r
th ird o f th e v e n tra ls , a s in n a su s , a n d th e th i r d o ne is o p p
o s ite to th e firs t a n a l sp in e . A sm a ll, fo rk ed , jo in t e d ra y
s ta n d s in t h e a x illa o f th e l a s t d o rs a l sp in e . B o th th e ven -
ti-al s p in e s a n d th e l a s t two d o rs a l o n e s a re o b so le le ly
jo in te d , th o u g h th e y a re s tif f a n d p u n g e n t. T h e v e n tra ls
a re c om p le te ly u n ite d to e a c h o th e r, so a s to form b u t o n e
fin, a s r e p r e s e n te d b y fig. 5. T h e a n a l c om m en c e s with
fo u rte e n a c u te , p im g e u t sp in e s , b u t jo in t s a re d is tin c tly
p e r c e p tib le in th r e e o r fo u r o f th e p o s te r io r o n e s . T h e ta il
b e in g m u tila te d , we c a n n o t s ta te th e n um b e r o f th e soft
a n a l ra y s , b u t th e form o f th e p o r tio n o f f in w h ic h rem a in s
i s m u c h lik e th a t o f n a su s. T h e se rie s o f g la n d u la r p o in ts
r e p r e s e n te d a s r u n n in g a lo n g th e b a s e o f th e a n a l, in th e fig
u re o f n a su s , p u b lis h e d in th e ‘R è g n e A n im a l,’ w e r e n o t
a p p a r e n t in th e sp e c im e n o f s e x sp in is . O u r fish, w h e n e n tir
e , m u s t h a v e b e e n u pw a rd s o f th ir te e n in c h e s lo n g .
H a b . K in g G e o rg e ’s S o u n d , A u s tra lia .
U ra n o s c o pu s m a c u l a t u s . F o rs te r.
R a d i i :— D . 1 8 ve l 1 9 ; A. 1 7 v e l 1 8 ; C. 9 -|-; P . 1 6 ;
V. 1 |5 .
Uranoscopus maculosus, Solander, Pise. Austr. MSS., p. 21, Ad.
1770. Ur. maculatus, J . R , Forster, apud Schn. p. 49, An. 1801. Icon,
G. Forster, 176, 177, B ib . Banks. ; Rich a rd so n , An. a n d Mag. o f Nat.
Hist. ix . p. 207, An. 1842 ; Forster, Descvipt. Anim. cu râ Lich t. p . 118,
1844. Ur. monnpterygius, Schn. Ur. eirrhosus, C. e t V. iii. p. 314,
All. 1829. Ur. Forsteri, Id . iii. p. 318. Ur. Kouripouia, Less. Voy. par
M . Duperry, pi. 18, An. 1830.
P la te X X X I I I ., figs. 1— 3, n a tu r a l siz e .
S o la n d e r d e te c te d a n d d e s c r ib e d th is fish , h u t h is n o te s
rem a in in g in m a n u s c r ip t, th e sp e c ie s w a s firs t m a d e k u ow n
b y S c h n e id e r from th e p a p e r s o f F o rs te r. As th e re a re
sev e ra l U r a n o s c o p e s w ith s in g le d o rs a ls , C u v ie r h a s ju s t ly
o b je c te d to th e sp e c ific n am e o f m o n o p te r y g iu s , a s n o t b e in
g d is c rim in a tiv e , b u t a s th is f a u lt is com m o n to very
m an y o f th e s c ie n tific a p p e lla tio n s g iven to fish , th e ru le o f
a d h e rin g to th e e a r lie s t p u b lis h e d n am e , i f n o t p re o c c u p ie d ,
se ems to b e p re fe ra b le to th e in tro d u c tio n o f th e v e ry n u m
e ro u s c h a n g e s w h ich w o u ld r e s u lt from a n a ttem p t to r e c tify
a ll o b je c tio n a b le n am e s , a n d we h a v e , th e re fo re , a d h
e re d to F o r s te r ’s n am e o f m a c u la tu s , w h ic h w a s p u b lis h e d
b y S c h n e id e r s im u lta n e o u s ly w ith th e n ew e r a n d ev en le ss
d is tin c tiv e a p p e lla tio n in v e n te d b y h im s e lf, e sp e c ia lly as
F o r s te r ’s diffe rs l ittle from th a t o f m a c u lo su s b e s tow e d on
th e fish b y S o la n d e r, i t s firs t clescriber. W e h a v e seen
several sp e c im e n s , b o th from N ew Z e a la n d a n d V a n D ie m
e n ’s L a n d , a n d h a v e fig u re d o n e o f th em , b e c a u s e L e s so n ’s
p la te doe s n o t a p p e a r to u s to b e a s a tis fa c to ry r e p r e s e n ta tio
n o f th e sp e c ie s .
T h e to p o f th e h e a d is q u ite fla t, from th e o c c ip u t to th e
en d o f th e sn o u t, a n d tra n sv e rs e ly a s fa r a s th e tem p le s
a n d o u te r ed g e s o f th e o rb its . A sq u a r e m em b ra n o u s
sp a c e is b o u n d e d la te r a lly b y th e ro u g h b o rd e rs o f th e
o rb its , a n d b e h in d b y a c ro s s rid g e o f b o n e co n n e c tin g
th e s e b o rd e rs ; th e fore ed g e o f th e m em b ra n e th a t c ro s s e s
th e p e d ic le s o f th e in te rm a x illa r ie s is c u t aw a y in a sh a llow
cu rv e , a n d is th e a n te r io r b o u n d a ry o f th e s q u a re
sp a c e . T h e in te rm a x illa r ie s lie in th e s am e p la n e with
th e su o u t, a n d d e s c e n d ve ry s lig h tly w h en p ro tru d e d .
C u v ie r d e s c rib e s th e g r a n u la tio n s o f th e c ra n ia l p la te s , a s
b e in g a r ra n g e d in lin e s r a d ia tin g from n in e c e n tr e s lik e so
many s ta rs , v iz ., in two row s o f f o u r e a c h , a n d a sin g le
ro u n d ish o c c ip ita l p la te o n th e m e s ia l lin e . I t is n o t e a sy
to make o u t th e n in e c e n tr e s h e r e m e n tio n e d . T h e e x a c t
forms o f th e p la te s a re sh ow n in fig. 2 , a n d m o s t o f th em
a re ro u g h e n e d b y m in u te p o in ts c row d e d w ith o u t ord e r.
T h e o u te rm o s t p o s te r io r p la te s , h ow ev e r, a n d two m id d le
p a irs , sh ow some r a d ia tin g lin e s. T h e b o rd e r s o f th e o rb its
a re v e ry s lig h tly ra is e d , a n d th e g r a n u la tio n s o f th e su p e r c
ilia ry p la te s sh ow a te n d e n c y to ru n in lin e s. T h e preo rb
ita r p ro je c ts two a c u te p o in ts o v e r th e lim b o f th e m a x illa
ry ; a n d th e th re e s u b o rb ita r s w h ic h follow o c c u p y b u t a
sm a ll p a r t o f th e ch e ek , a n d a re a ll ir r e g u la r ly g ran u la ted .
T h e p re o p e rc u lum is c u rv e d in th e a rc o f a c irc le , is c oa rse ly
g ran u la te d a t its u p p e r e n d , a n d co v e red e lsew h e re w ith
smooth in te g um e n t, w h ic h is p e rfo ra te d b y a d o u b le row o f
pores. V e rtic a l g ra n u la r lin e s m a rk th e o p e rc u lum , w ith
a few co a rs e r g ra in s a t its u p p e r a n g le , b u t in ib e r e c e n t
fish th e s e ro u g h p a r ts a re m o s tly c o n c e a le d b y tb e in te g u m
en t. T h e s u p ra -s c a p u la rs a re d e n s e ly g r a n u la te d o b lo n g
p la te s , wh ich in c o n ju n c tio n w ith th e me sia l o c c ip ita l p la te
form th e b o u n d a ry o f th e n a p e . T h e s c a p u la r (or h um e ra l)
b o n e em its a s tro n g sp in e ov e r th e u p p e r a n g le o f th e g ill-
o p e n in g ; i t is s lig h tly c u rv e d a t th e p o in t, a n d h a l f an
in c h lo n g in a fish w h ic h m e a su re s seven in c h e s , th o u g h
th e tip s o n ly p ro tru d e th ro u g h th e skin. F o r s te r d e s c rib e s
i t a s “ sp in a v a lid a h o r izo n ta lis , a p ic e e x tr o r s nm f i e x d ,
p o llic a r is ,” in a sp e c im e n w h ic h m e a su re d tw e n ty -tw o
in ch e s. T h e lip s a re c lo s e ly frin g ed w ith ve ry s h o r t s le n d
e r c ir rh i, j u s t v isib le to th e n a k e d ey e , a n d th e r e i s a s h o r t
th ic k b a rb e l o n th e c h in , w h ich s e em s to h a v e e s c a p e d
F o r s te r ’s n o tic e , a n d is n o t in d e e d very r e a d ily d is co v e red
u n le s s i t b e lo o k e d for. A s le n d e r filam e n t p ro tru d e s from
w ith in th e v e lum o f th e low'er jaw . T h e d e n ta l p la te s a re
c o a rs e ly a n d th iu ly v illifo rm a t th e sym p h y s e s a n d ta p e r
away on th e lim b s o f th e jaw s . T h e v om e rin e te e lh a re
m in u te ly v illifo rm , b e in g s c a r c e ly visib le to th e n a k e d ey e ,
a u d a c lu s te r o f th re e o r four som ew h a t l a rg e r o n e s , c row d ed
to g e th e r, e x is ts o n th e fo re p a r t o f e a c h p a la te h o n e , th e s e
b o n e s b e in g o th e rw is e to o th le s s . A row o f p o r e s ru n s
a lo n g th e lim b o f th e low e r jaw to th e p r e o p e rc u lum . T h e
ey e is f rin g e d b y a n a r row to o th e d m em b ra u e , w h ic h is n o t
e a s ily se e n u n le s s th e e y e b a ll b e p ro tru d e d . T h e la te ra l
lin e cu rv e s g ra d u a lly from th e o u te r e n d o f th e su p r a s c a p
u la r tow a rd s th e b e g in n in g o f th e d o rs a l, a n d th e n ru n s
n e a r th e b a s e o f th a t fin, a p p ro a c h in g i t g r a d u a lly a n d
s lig h tly in i t s co u rs e ; w h en i t a rriv e s a t th e b a s e o f th e
c a u d a l i t b e n d s su d d e n ly d ow nw a rd s to p a s s b e tw e e n th e
m id d le r a y s o f th e fin. T h ro u g h o u t its le n g th s h o r t la te r a l
b r a n c h e s frin g e i t b e n e a th , e a c h e n d in g in a m u c ife ro u s
p o re . T h e s c a le s o f th e b o d y a re s im ila r a u d o f a n o b lo n g
sh a p e . N o n e e x is t ab o v e th e la te r a l lin e s , n o r o n th e
o th e r p a rts m e n tio n e d a s b e in g n a k e d in th e ‘ H is to ir e d e s
P o is so n s .’ A ll th e ra y s o f th e d o rs a l a re jo in te d , th e s p i n
o u s fin b e in g d e fic ie n t, b u t iu th e d r ie d sp e c im e n fo u r o b tu
s e p o in ts p r e s s u p th e sk in , lik e so m a n y in te r s p in o u s
b o n e s b e fo re th e firs t ray.
T h e m a rk in g s a re r e p r e s e n te d in th e fig u re a s th e y ex is t
in a sp e c im en w h ich h a s b e e n lo n g m a c e r a te d in sp irits ,
b u t th e follow in g is S o la n d e r ’s d e s c rip tio n o f a r e c e n t fish.
“ P is c is s u p e rn è v ir e s c e n ti-g r is e u s m a c u lis r o tu n d is d i lu te
e t so rd id è J la v ic a n l ib u s ; su b tu s e v ir e s c e n te a lb u s . C a p
u t s u p r a ca v e rn o sum , p a l l id è e J la rd c a n te e t g r is eo n e b u -
losum. O c u li p a r v i. I r i s g riseo e t a lb id o m a rm o ra ta .
P u p i l la n ig r a , su p e r n è e t in fe r n é lobulo g riseo n o ta ta .
P in n a d o r sa lis su b g la u ca : v i l t à in f r a m e d ium la ta , a l b
id à : r a d iis su p ra v i t ia m f u s c i s , a p ic ib u s r u b ic u n d is .
P in n æ p e c to ra le s e x tu s oUvaceæ, m a c u lis ro lu n d is e v ire s-
c e n ie a lb td is fu l v o m a rm o r a tis , in te r n é o bscuriore s ; b a s i
colore p e c to r is ; m a rg in e s a n te r io r e s e t p o s te r io r e s a lb idoe .
P in n æ v e n tra le s e t a n a le s colore p e c to r is . P in n a c a tid a lis
e ru b ic u n d o grisc e sc ens, fa s c i t i a n te m e d ium s tib - in te r -
r u p td , la td , so rd id e e x a lb id o v ir e s c e n ii ; m a rg o p o s tic u s
ru b e s c it:'' F o r s te r m e re ly s a y s in r e g a rd to c o lo u r, “ Corp
u s s u p r a p a l l id è fu s c x m , m a c u lis p a llid io r ìb u s [in q u i-
hu sd am a lb is s eu a rg e n ie is ), su b lu s c a n d ic a n ii a rg e n te um : '
‘^ P u p i l la n ig r a , ir id e a u r e a ; m em b ra n â n ic l i la n te in -
i e g r â : '*
F o r s te r ’s sp e c im e n s m e a su re d tw e n ty -tw o in c h e s , a n d
a re m o s tly a b o u t seven o r e ig h t in c h e s lo n g .
H ab. S e a s o f N ew Z e a la n d a u d Au sti'a lia . (Also Ota -
h c iti, F o rs te r).
U ra n o s c o pu s m a c r o py g u s . R ic h a rd so n .
R a d i i :— D . 3 0 ; A . 3 7 ; 0 . 8 ^ ; P . 1 9 ; V . ] ] 5 .
C h . S p e c . U c a p ite læ v i in e rm i ; a n o su b a x i l la p in n æ
p e c io r is m a g noe p o s ilo ; p i n n a a n i lo n g is s im à a n te p in -
n am d o r s i u n ic am in c ip ie n t i e t a d p in n a m ca u dæ
* This seems to liave heen an oversiglit, a rising from the eye be in g
examined when retracted, for the eye-hall is surrounded by a denticulated
fringe.