1
v s q u e e x t e n s d ; sq u am is m e d io c r ib u s ; l in e d la te ra lis
m e d ia n d r e d d , s q u am is m a ju s c u lis t e d d .
P la te X X X I IL , figs. 4— 6 , n a tu ra l siz e .
T h i s U r a n o s c o p e d iffe rs w id e ly from o th e rs o f th e g en u s
in a s p e c t a n d s e v e ra l w e ll m a rk e d c h a ra c te rs . T h e fo rw
a rd p o s itio n o f its v e n t, u n d e r th e low e r p e c to ra l ra y s ,
a n d a t th e b e g in n in g o f th e s e c o n d q u a r te r o f th e
le n g th o f th e fish , is rem a rk a b le , a n d d is tin g u ish e s i t a t
o n c e from m a c u lo su s a n d Uevis, th e o th e r two A u s tra lia n
U r a n o s c o p e s w ith o ne d o rs a l. I t h a s a g e n ita l p a p illa like
th e o th e r sp e c ie s . T h e h e a d is c o v e re d w ith sm o o th sk in ,
th ro u g h w h ic h th e fo rm o f th e b o n e s , s im ila r to th o s e o f
m a c u la tu s , c a n b e m a d e o u t, b u t n o g ra n u la tio n s a re v isib le .
T h e lip s a re fin e ly fim b ria te d , a n d th e te e th a re villiform.
T h e ey e -b a ll, w h ic h is n o t c ilia te d , is r e tr a c tile , a s is
u su a l in th e g en u s . A row o f p o re s tra v e rs e s th e low e r
jaw a n d d isk o f th e p re o p e rc u lum ; th e o p e rc u lum is t r i a
n g u la r a n d c ilia te d on its u p p e r e d g e a n d ro u n d i t s p o in t.
T h e r e is n o s c a p u la r sp in e . T h e p e lv ic b o n e s a re e a ch
te rm in a te d a n te r io r ly b y a sp in o u s p o in t w h ic h p e n e tr a te s
th e sk in . T h e s tra ig h t la te r a l lin e is tr a c e d in th e m id d le
o f th e h e ig h t o n a se rie s o f s c a le s la rg e r th a n th e o th e rs ,
w h ic h a re o f m o d e ra te s iz e , b u t m u c h la rg e r th a n th o s e o f
m a c u lo su s . T h e re is n o v e s tig e o f a sp in o u s d o rs a l, a n d th e
so ft fin com m e n c e s o v e r th e sp a c e b e tw e e n th e s ix th a n d
s e v e n th an a l ra y s . I t s ra y s a n d th o s e o f th e a n a l a re
a ll jo in te d a n d u n b r a n c h e d . T h e m em b ra n e s o f th e fins
g e n e r a lly a r e m o re d e lic a te t h a n in th e o th e r U ra n o s c o p e s ,
a n d th e ra y s , e sp e c ia lly o f th e p e c to ra ls , h av e m o re s le n d e r
lip s . T h e d o rs a l a n d a n a l te rm in a te b y a p o in t o f m em b ran e
e x a c tly a t th e b a s e o f th e c a u d a l, wh ich is ro u n d e d a t its
e x tr em ity . P e c to r a l la rg e , a n d su p p o r te d b y ra y s w h ic h
a re a ll fo rk ed e x c e p t th e u p p e r o ne . N o b a rb e l on
th e c h in , n o r a n y filam e n t from w ith in th e lowe r jaw.
L e n g th o f th e sp e c im e n in c h e s . T h e o rig in a l tin ts o f
c o lo u r h a v e p e r is h e d in th e sp ir its , b u t th e d a rk m a rk in g s
w h ic h rem a in m ay b e a s c e r ta in e d b y c o n s u ltin g th e figure.
T h e c a u d a l h a s a r a th e r rem a rk a b le d is tr ib u tio n o f colour,
th e u p p e r a n d low e r p a r ts b e in g b la c k a u d th e m id d le
th i rd p a le o r w h itish .
H a b . P o r t J a c k s o n .
B o v ic t h y s v a r ie g a t u s . R ic h a rd so n .
R a d i i :— B . 7 ; D . 8 |— 1 8 ^ / 1 9 ; A . 1 3 w M 4 : C . 1 1 4 ;
P . lO e tV . ; V. I |5 .
P la t e X X X IV ., fig. 1— 4, n a tu r a l size.
E x c e p t in a few p a r tic u la r s n o te d b e low , th is fish a n sw
e rs e x a c tly to th e d e s c r ip tio n o f B o v ic h th y s d ia c a n th u s
in th e ‘ H is to ir e d e s P o is so n s ,’ b u t i t ag re e s le s s p e rfe c tly
w ith th e fig u re in th a t work (pi. 244). I n g e n e ra l form it
a p p ro a c h e s n e a re r to C ap ta in C a rm ic h a e l’s re p r e s e n ta tio n
o f h is C a llio n ym u s d ia c a n th u s (L in . T r a n s , x ii. p . 501,
p i. 2 6 ), w h ic h is c o n s id e re d to b e th e sam e sp e c ie s with
th e C h ili fish d e s c r ib e d in th e ‘ H is to ir e d e s P o is so n s ’. I t
m a y in d e e d b e m e re ly a m o re p e r fe c t e x am p le o f d ia c a n th
u s , o r a v a rie ty , b u t a s i t d iffe rs a little in th e n um b e rs o f
th e ra y s ,* a n d to a ll a p p e a r a n c e , c o n s id e r a b ly in th e m a rk in
g s , I h a v e th o u g h t i t e x p e d ie n t to fig u re a n d n am e i t as
a n ew spe c ie s.
O n r e a d in g ov e r th e d e s c r ip tio n o f d ia c a n th u s , w ith th e
s p e c im e n s o f v a r ie g a h is b e fo re mo, th e o n ly d is c re p a n c ie s
I c o u ld d e te c t w e re th e fo llowing. T h e p r e o p e r c u lu r a d id
n o t a p p e a r th ro u g h th e in te g um e n ts to b e e ith e r r em a rk a b ly
la rg e o r c a v em o u s , b u t a se rie s o f o p e n p o re s ru n s ro u n d
i t s b o rd e r. I t s ed g e is ev en a n d n o t u n d u la te d . T h e p e c to
r a l o v e rla p s th e an a l m o re th a n in th e fig u re s in th e L in -
n c a n T r a n s a c tio n s o r ‘ H is to ir e d e s P o is so n s ,’ th e p e n u ltim
a te a n a l r a y is n o t so a b ru p tly la rg e r th a n th e p re c e d in g
o n e s , a n d th e p e c to r a ls a n d v e n tra ls a re m o re a p p ro x im
a ted . F iv e p o ro u s lin e s w ith s h o r t tra n sv e rs e b r a n c h e s
a re d isp o s e d o n th e g ill co v e rs, tem p le s , a n d s c a p u la r r e g
io n o f e a c h s id e . T h e y a re p ro b a b ly w h a t C a rm ich a e l
d e n om in a te s “ to r tu o u s s tre ak s .” T h e la te r a l lin e is com p
o s e d o f a se rie s o f ra is e d , flat, tr ia n g u la r em in en c e s , tu rn e d
a lte rn a te ly u pw a rd s a n d d ow nw a rd s . T h e y a p p e a r to be
c om p o s e d o f so ft in te g um e n t, a n d th e r e a re n o s c a le s on
th e b o d y , b u t th e sk in is s tu d d e d w ith m ic ro s c o p ic a l p o re s
w h ic h g iv e i t a ro u g h a p p e a r a n c e , ev en to th e n a k e d ey e ,
y e t a re n o t p e rc e p tib le to th e finge r. T h e m a rk in g s will be
b e s t u n d e r s to o d from an e x am in a tio n o f th e fig u re , w ith
th e e x p la n a tio n th a t a fte r lo n g m a c e ra tio n iu s p ir its th e
d a rk p o rtio n s a re b la c k ish b row n , a n d th e lig h te r one s
d in g y , little o r n o p u r e w h ile b e in g v is ib le , e x c e p t on th e
th ro a t. O n e sp e c im e n is e ig h t in c h e s lo n g a n d a n o th e r
five in c h e s .
H a b . P o r t J a c k so n .
C e n t r is c u s h u m e r o s u s . R ic h a rd so n .
R a d i i:— D. 6 |— 1 7 ; A. 1 8 ; C. 9 | ; P . 1 6 ; V. Il5.
P l a t e X X X IV ., figs. 5, 6 , n a tu r a l size.
_ W e h a v e se e n o n ly a d rie d sp e c im en o f th is fish , w h ich
d iffe rs from th e com m o n M e d iie r r a n e a n sp e c ie s , ch ie fly in
its h ig h a n d g ib b o u s sh o u ld e r. I t h a s e ig h t r a d ia te d p la te s
on e a c h s ide o f th e h um e ra l a p p a r a tu s wh ich su p p o r ts th e
la rg e d o r s a l sp in e , b e s id e s a m e s ia l row o f sm a lle r o n e s ;
a lso th r e e row s o f p la te s o n th e th o r a x b e tw e e n th e g ill-
o p e n in g a n d v e n tra ls , a n d som e sm a lle r p la te s b e tw e e n th e
v e n tra ls a n d an a l fin. A ra d ia te d p la te a lso e x is ts above
th e p o s te r io r h a l f o f th e o rb it. T h e s c a le s a re sm a ll. T h e
d o rs a l sp in e is s to u t, a n d h a s s ev e ra l a c u te c u rv e d te e th a t
its b a s e in fro n t, a n d m a n y s e rra tu re s a n d d e n lic u la tio n s
th ro u g h o u t its le n g th o n its p o s te r io r fa c e . I t is fo llow ed
b y five s h o r t sp in e s n o t c o n n e c te d b y m em b r a n e ; th e la s t
o f th e s e sp in e s is a t th e b a s e o f th e s e co n d d o rs a l, w h ic h
h a s a n o b liq u e ly c o n ic a l o u tlin e . T h e a n a l is le s s h ig h ,
b u t h a s a lo n g e r b a s e th a n th e do rsa l.
T h e h e ig h t o f th e sh o u ld e r is c o n ta in e d tw ic e a n d one
h a l f in th e to ta l le n g th , a n d th e th ic k n e s s j th e r e is one-
s ix th o f th e h e ig h t. T h e le n g th o f th e h e a d a n d sn o u t e x -
c e ed s th e h e ig h t a t th e sh o u ld e r. T h e h e ig h t b e tw e en th e
v e n t a n d b a s e o f th e d o r s a l is o n e - te n th le s s th a n th e
h e ig h t a t th e sh o u ld e r. _ . , i
H a b . S e a o f S o u th . \ i i5ti'ah a . S p e c im e n m th e B n tis n
M useum.
P s e t t u s a r g e n t e u s . L in n . [C h id o d o n ).
ChalodoH argenteus, L in n . Cbinens. Lagerstrcein. Amoin. Acad.
Dec 1754, iv. p. 429. ; Fo rst. F a u n . S in .; Blocb. Schn. p. 2 30. Ico n .
Reeves, 2 4 0 ; Hardw. Acanth. 226. Chinese name, Y in leen tsang,
“ Silver scale tsang," (Bivcb); Yen lin tsong, “ Silver scaled tsan g ,”
(Reeves).
R a d i i ;— B . 6 ; D . 8 |2 9 ; A. 3 |2 9 ; C. 1 7 | ; P . 1 7 ; V. 1|5.
(S p e c . H a s l. M u s e um ).
P la te X X X V ., figs. 1, 2 , n a tu r a l s iz e ; 3, m ag n ified .
T h is fish w a s f irs t d e s c r ib e d b y L in n te u s a s a C h x to d o n ,
a n d its tru e p o s itio n in th e g e n u s P s e ttu s is p o in te d o u t in
th e ‘ H is to ire d e s P o is so n s ,’ (vii. p . 2 5 1 ), w h e re a ll th a t is
s a id o f i t in th e ‘ A m c en ita te s A c a d em ic s e ’ is tr a n s c r ib e d .
I t s ag re em en t in m a n y c h a r a c te r s w ith P s e ttu s com m e r-
so n ii is th e r e sh ow n , b u t th e h e ig h t o f th e b o d y , i t is ju s tly
rem a rk ed , b iin g s i t n e a r e r to P s e ttu s rh om b eu s. W e are
in c lin e d , howeve r, to k e e p i t s e p a r a te o n a c c o u n t o f its p ro p
o rtio n a lly la rg e r eye, ta lle r a n d m o re o b tu s e d o r s a l a n d
an a l fins, a n d from its w a n tin g th e b la c k lin e s w h ic h d e s
c e n d from th e fo re p a r t o f th e d o r s a l to th e fa c e in rh om beus.
W e p o s s e s s tw o sp e c im e n s , w h ic h were ta k e n a t
S id n e y , a n d w h ich a g re e c lo se ly w ith M r. R e e v e s ’s d raw ing,
th o u g h th e la tte r is a re p r e s e n ta tio n o f a la rg e r in d iv id u a l.
T h e h e ig h t o f th e b o d y is e q u a l to th e d istanc e , b e tw e e n
th e fore p a r t o f th e o rb it a n d th e e n d o f th e d o rs a l a n d a n a l
f in s ; a n d is in p ro p o r tio n to th e to ta l le n g th a s 27 to 46.
T h e d is tan c e b e tw e en th e tip s o f th e d o rs a l a n d a n a l r a th e r
e x c e e d s th e to ta l le n g th wh en th e fin s a re fu lly s p r e a d o u t ;*
a n d th e th ic k n e s s o f th e b o d y is a b o u t a s ix th o f its h e ig h t,
or le s s th a n a t e n th o f th e h e ig h t, fin s in c lu d e d . T h e
sc a le s a re sm a ll, a n d c o v e r th e w h o le h e a d a n d d o rs a l a n d
a n a l fins u p to th e tip s o f th e ra y s . T h e y a re e ith e r ve ry
d e c id u o u s o n th e c a u d a l, o r th e y o n ly c lo th e its b a s e . T h e
s c a le s a re d e lic a te a n d fe e l s r a o o th ish to th e fin g e r, even
w h en d raw n b a ckw a rd s , b u t u n d e r th e m ic ro s c o p e , th e p o s te
r io r tr ia n g u la r p o rtio n o f th e i r d isk s is se e n to b e s tu d d e d
w ith m in u te te e th . A m a g n ifie d r e p r e s e n ta tio n o f a s c a le
from th e la te r a l lin e is g iv en in fig. 3. T h e c a u d a l is
n e a rly even a t th e e n d w h e n fully e x p a n d e d , b u t seems
c re sc en tic w h e n suffe red to c o lla p s e a little . T h e sp in e s
o f th e do rsa l a re draw n in th e fig u re a s th e y a jjp e a r w hen
e lev a ted ; when ly in g fla tly a g a in s t th e f ro n t o f th e fin th e
an te rio r o n e s a re s c a rc e ly p e r c e p tib le , a n d th e sum m its
b o th o f th e so ft d o rs a l a n d a n a l a p p e a r m o re a c u te a n d
s ta n d o u t m o re a b ru p tly from th e p o s te r io r r a y s w h e n suffe
red to fa ll b a c k a little . T h e te e th a re th o s e o f a Chcetod
o n , a n d th e ey e is la rg e r a n d n e a r e r th e p ro file th a n th a t
o f P s e t tu s sebcB o r rh om b e u s . T h e o rb it is o n ly i t s ow n
d iam e te r d i s ta n t from th e g ill-o p e n in g , e x c lu d in g th e sm a ll
p e a k o f th e g ill-c o v e r.
M r. R e e v e s ’s d r aw in g i s e ig h t in c h e s lo n g , a n d is c o lo re d
d u c k -g re e n o n th e b a c k , fa d in g aw a y a t th e la te r a l lin e in to
th e s ilv e iy a n d very s lig h tly ro s a c e o u s scales.^ T h e v e r tic
a l fins a re d u c k -g r e e n a t th e b a s e , a n d p a s s in to o il-g r e e n
a n d su lp h u r-y e llow tow a rd s th e en d s , th e a n te r io r sum m its
o f th e d o rs a l a n d a n a l b e in g d a rk p u rp lis h b row n , s h a d e d
off i n th e la t te r b y c rim so n . T h e u p p e r p a r ts o f th e h e a d
a n d g ill-co v e r a re b la c k is h g re en m ix e d w ith c rim so n ; a n d
th e p e c to r a l is s traw -y e llow , w ith a n a u ro r a - r e d l in t a t its
b a s e . I r i s s ilv e ry ancl brown.
H a b . S e a s o f A u s tra lia a n d C h in a .
S c a t o p h a g u s m u l t i f a s c ia t u s . R ic h a rd s o n .
C u . S p e c . Sc . f r o n t e con ca vd a d n a v e s g ib b d ; dorso f a s c
iis f l u r im i s , n ig r is , tra n sv e i-sis n o ta to ; la te r ib u s v ia -
c td a tis ; p o s t s in g u la s s p in a s p in n æ d o r s i a n iq u e v illo
n ig ro .
R a d i i :— B . 6 ; D . 1 I | - 1 | 1 6 ; A . 4 |1 6 ; C . 1 5 | ; P . 1 7 ;
V . l;5 .
P la te X X X V ., figs. 4 , 5, n a tu r a l s i z e ; 6 , m a g n ifie d .
T h e b o d y is m u c h c om p r e s s e d , with a sh o r t, o b la te -o v a l
o u tlin e , b e y o n d w h ic h th e s n o u t a n d tru n k o f th e ta il p ro j
e c t . T h e sum m it o f th e b a c k , w h ic h is o c c u p ie d b y th e sp in
o u s d o rs a l, a u d th e o p p o s ite p a r t o f th e b e lly , a re b o u n d e d
b y n e a r ly h o riz o n ta l lin e s . T h e so ft d o rs a l a n d a n a l
o c c u p y th e whole o f th e p o s te r io r cu rv e s . T h e h e a d fo n n s
n e a r ly o n e -fo u rth o f th e w h o le le n g th , c a u d a l in c lu d e d , a n d
th e d iam e te r o f th e o rb it r a th e r e x c e e d s th e fo u rth p a r t o f
th e le n g th o f th e h e a d . T h e b o rd e r o f th e o rb it i s o b tu s e ly
p rom in e n t a t th e u p p e r a n te r io r a n g le b e h in d th e n o s tril.
T h e p r e o rb ita r is c o n s id e r a b ly w id e r th a n th e r e s t o f th e
s u b o rb ita r c h a in , a n d a n o b tu s e n o tc h is fo rm e d b y th e ir
* Bovichthys (liacanthvs, D. 81—20 ; A. 14 (Hist, des i
tionymus diacanthus, D. 81—20 ; A, 16. (Cannich.)
nssons). Cal-
* I n tlie fijrure of Psettus rhombeus in tb e new edition o f ‘ Règne
Animal,’ ii. pi. X LIT., fig. 2 , tbe b e ig h t between th e tip s of th e dorsal
and anal fins does not exceed tbe le n g th from tbe sn o u t to tbe tru n k o f tbe
ta il, and the eye is less, au d fu rth er from th e profile th a n in argenteus.
ju n c tio n . T h e u p p e r lira b o f th e p re o p e rc u lum is v e rtic a l,
th e c o rn e r sh o r tly ro u n d e d , a n d th e lowe r o n e com p le te ly
o v e rlie s th e in te ro p e r c u lum , o n ly a sm a ll c r e s c e n tic p a r t o f
th a t b o n e sh ow in g b e h in d th e a n g le o f th e p r e o p e r c u lum .
T h e e d g e o f th e g ill-c o v e r is n e a r ly a n a rc o f a c ir c le
w ith o u t a n y n o tc h , h u t th e u p p e r c o rn e r o f th e o p e rc u lum
m a k e s a s c a r c e ly v is ib le p rom in en c e . I t is ro u g h w ith
m ic ro s c o p ic a l te e th .
T h e fin e b ru s h - lik e d e n ta l p la te s o n th e jaw s a re c om p
o s e d o f c lo s e ly s e t s le n d e r te e th , e a c h o f w h ic h is tr ic u s p
id , w ith th e m id d le c u sp ta lle r th a n th e la te r a l one s.
T h e r e a re n o te e th o n th e ro o f o f th e rao u lh .
T h e s c a le s a re sm a ll a n d d e n s e ly tile d , o n ly a sm a ll o b liq
u e rh om b o id a l s e gm e n t o f th e d isk b e in g v is ib le , w h ic h
is a rm ed w ith s ev e ra l p a r a lle l a c u te ly to o th e d rid g e s .
T h e b a s e is u n d u la te d , p ro d u c in g th r e e o r fo u r in d is tin c t
lo b e s . T h e g en e ra l form o f th e s c a le s is s em i-o v a l w ith
o n e s id e sh o rte r. T h e la te r a l lin e ru n s in th e u p p e r
q u a r te r o f th e h e ig h t u n til it re a c h e s th e p o s te r io r th ird o f