iiin e ty -tv i’o s c a le s in a lo n g itu d in a l row b e tw e e n th e g ill-
o p e n in g a n d c a u d a l fin , a n d e ig h te e n o r tw e n ty row s in th e
v e rtic a l h e ig h t u n d e r th e d o rs a l. T h e la te r a l lin e is c om p
o s e d o f a se rie s o f s im p le tu b e s , a n d w ith a ve ry sli^-ht de -
c u rv a tu re a t its c om m e n c em e n t ru n s n e a r ly s tra ig h t° a little
a b o v e th e m id d le o f th e h e ig h t o f th e b o d y . T h e v e n tra ls
a re a t ta c h e d u n d e r Uie b e g in n in g o f th e d o r s a l, a n d in th e
m id d le o f th e le n g th b e tw e e n th e tip o f th e sn o u t a n d ex -
trcm id e s o f th e c e n tr a l c a u d a l ra y s . T h e firs t five d o rs a l
ra y s a re c lo s e ly in c um b e n t a n d g ra d u a te d , a n d th e u p p e r
jo in t s o f th e th ird , fo u ith , a n d fifth a re o b liq u e . T h e firs t
th r e e a n a l r a y s a re a lso s h o r t a n d c lo s e ly in c um b e n t, a n d
tw o o r th r e e o f th e fo llow in g o n e s h a v e o b liq u e jo in ts . T h is
p e c u lia r o b liq u ity o f th e jo in t s is w e ll se e n in th e lo n g e s t
u p p e r a n d u n d e r c a u d a l ra y s , w h ich a re m u c h com p re s s e d
an d b ro a d e r th a n th e o th e rs . S ev e ra l o f th e a d ja c e n t ra y s
a re c om p re s s e d , w ith o b liq u e jo in t s in a le s s d e g re e , a n d
th e f ir s t o f th e in c um b e n t b a s a l o n e s b o th a b o v e a n d be low
IS th in , w h ite a u d b o n y , w ith a la n c e o la te o u tlin e a n d ve ry
a c u t e Up. I t IS n o t jo in t e d , b u t s ev e ra l w h ic h im m ed ia te ly
fo llow it, th o u g h le s s b ro a d a u d sh ew in g v e s tig e s o f io iiits
h a v e s im ila rly a c u te lip s . ’
I n M r. R e e v e s ’s d r aw in g th e s c a le s o f th e b o d y a re r e p
r e s e n te d a s b rig h tly s ilv e ry , w ith le e k -g re e n s h a d in g s from
th e ir b a s e s a b o v e th e la te r a l lin e , a n d p a le p e a r l-g r a y b e low
. T h e m em b r a n e s o f th e d o rs a l a n d c a u d a l a re m o u n ta
in -g r e e n with d a rk e r ra y s , a b a r a lo n g th e b a s e o f
th e c a u d a l b e in g a lso d a r k e r ; a n d th e c e n tr a l p a r t o f th e
c a u d a l is l ig h t b lu is h g ray , w ith o u t a n y in d ic a tio n o f th e
b la c k s tr ip e e x h ib ite d in B lo c h ’s fig u re o f E lo p s s a u ru s ,
49 3 . T h e u p p e r p a r ts o f th e h e a d a re s a p -g re e n m ix e d
w ith o il-g r e e n ; th e low e r p a r ts s ilv e ry . T h e p e c to r a l is
g am b o g e -y e llow w ith a b la c k is h t i p ; th e v e n lr a ls a n d an a l
d u ll s a ffron-ye llow in fro n t a n d co lo u rle s s p o s te rio rly .
air. R e e v e s fig u re s a n o th e r C h in e s e E lo p s { prirpurasc ens),
w h ic h IS b rie fly n o tic e d in th e ‘ R e p o r t o n th e I c h th y -
o lo g y o f th e S e a s o f C h in a a n d J a p a n ,’ q u o te d above .
H a b . S e a s o f C h in a a n d I n d ia . T h e R e d S e a .
G a s t e r o c h is m a m e l a m p c s . R ic h a rd s o n .
, Rich a rd so n , Ann. au d Mag . of N a t. Hist.
XV. p. 346. M ay , 1845.
R a d i i :— B . 5 ; D . 1 7 |— 1 |1 0 e t V I ; A. 2110 c t V I ;
C . 1 7 4 4 ; P - 2 0 ; V. 1|5.
P l a t e X X X V IL , fig s . 1— 3 , n a tu r a l size.
T h i s fish is m o s t c lo s e ly a llie d to N om e u s , o f w h ic h i t
p o s s e s s e s m a n y o f th e c h a r a c te r s , b u t its la rg e r m o u th , th e
fo rm o f th e jaw s a p p ro a c h in g m u c h m o re n e a r ly to th a t o f
S c om b e r , th e g r e a t c om p re s s io n o f th e b o d y , a n d ab o v e a ll,
th e fre e p in n u le s o f th e d o rs a l a n d an a l, ju s t i f y its b e in g
p la c e d in a s e p a r a te g e n u s , in a c c o rd a n c e w ith th e m a n n e r
in w h ic h th e S com h e rid c e h a v e b e e n h ith e r to su b d iv id e d .
T h e p ro file b e a r s c o n s id e r a b le re s em b la n c e to th a t o f a
com m o n m a c k e r e l, a n d th e ta i l a t th e b a s e o f th e c a u d a l is
v e ry s le n d e r , b u t h a s n o v e s tig e o f a k e e l. T h e le n g th o f
th e h e a d , w h ich e q u a ls th e h e ig h t o f th e b o d y , is c o n ta in e d
fo u r tim e s a n d a 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
o f th e b o d y is le s s th a n o n e - lh ird o f its h e ig h t, th e b a c k and
b e lly b e in g b o th a c u te . T h e n a p e is m o re b ro a d ly ro u n d ed
, b u t th e to p o f th e h e a d is tr a v e r s e d b y a sm o o th , a c u te ,
m e s ia l k e e l, w h ic li is c o n tin u e d to th e tip o f th e n a rrow ,
a c u te s n o u t. T h e low e r jaw is a lso a c u te , a n d th e c le f t o f
th e m o u th is h a l f th e le n g th o f th e h e a d . T h e m a x illa ry
r e a c h e s r a th e r b e y o n d th e m id d le o f th e e y e , a n d its s le n d
e r m id d le p a r t o n ly is c o v e re d b y th e p r e o rb ita r wh en th e
in o iith is c lo s e d . T h e j aw - t e e th a re fin e ly su b u la te , a c u te ,
s lig h tly c u rv e d , a n d r a th e r w id e ly s e t in a s in g le row . T h e
v om e rin e a n d p a la tin e te e th a re m o re d e lic a te a n d n o t
so ev e n ly se t.
T h e ch e e k is s c a ly , a n d th e r e is a s c a ly p a tc h o n th e sii-
p r a - s c a p u l a i 's ; b u t tlie to p o f th e h e a d , jaw s , p re o rb ita r ,
d is k o f th e p r e o p e r c u lum , a n d g ill-m em b ra n e s a rc sm o o th .
T h e r e a re n o s c a le s o n th e g ill-c o v e rs iu th e s p e c im e n , b u t
a s th e in te g um e n t c lo th in g th e s e b o n e s is in ju r e d , i t is p o s s
ib le th a t th e y m a y b e m o re o r le s s s c a ly in th e r e c e n t fish.
T h e la te r a l lin e is m o d e ra te ly a r c h e d till i t com e s o p p o s ite
to th e f irs t s e p a ra te p in n u le , w h en i t ta k e s a s tr a ig h t co u rse
th ro u g h th e ta il. T h e s c a le s a re m o d e ra te ly la rg e . T h e
b e lly is d e e p ly f is su re d to form a s h e a th fo r th e re c e p tio n
o f th e la rg e v e n tra ls , in w h ic h th e y c a n b e com p le te ly c o n c
e a le d . T h e in s id e o f th is s h e a th is l in e d w ith d e lic a te
m em b ra n e , a n d th e sm a ll tu b u la r orific e o f th e a n u s is
s itu a te d n e a r its p o s te r io r end. T h e v e n tr a l, e q u a l in le n g th
to o n e - th ird o f th e w h o le fish , is a tta c h e d u n d e r th e b a s e
o f th e p e c to r a l a s in N o m em . I t is p ro b a b le th a t th e ir
l a s t r a y is a tta c h e d th ro u g h o u t to th e m e s ia l lin e o f th e
s h e a th b y a w id e m em b ra n e , a s in th e g en u s j u s t n am e d ,
h u t i f so, th e m em b ra n e h a s b e e n to rn aw a y in o u r s p e c im
en . _ T h e p e c to r a ls a re in p ro p o r tio n c o n s id e ra b ly sm a lle r
th a n in N o m e u sm a u r i t ii . T h e f ir s t d o rs a l is a r c h e d , a n d is
s u p p o r te d b y s le n d e r, b r ittle r a y s , w h ic h a re h a l f th e h e ig h t
o f th e b o d y . T h e m em b ra n e o f th e p o s te r io r p a r t o f th e
d o r s a l a n d a n a l is c ith e r a lto g e th e r w a n tin g o r p e rish e s
e a r ly , le a v in g s ix o r se v e n d e ta c h e d p in n u le s b e h in d e a c h
fm . T h e r e is n o v e s tig e o f a n y s e p a r a te s p in e s b e fo re th e
a n a l, a n d th e f ir s t s p in e o f th is fin is a m e re p o in t. T h e
v e n tr a ls r e ta in th e i r in te n s e b la c k co lo u r, b u t th e o r ig in a l
tin ts o l th e o th e r fins a n d r e s t o f th e fish c a n n o t b e tr a c e d
in th e sp e c im e n , w h ic h h a s su ffe re d from lo n g m a c e ra tio n
in sp irits .
L e n g th 8 in c h e s .
H a b . P o r t N ic h o ls o n , N ew Z e a la n d .
A g r io p u s l e ü c o p æ c il u s . R ic h a rd s o n .
C h . S p e c . A g r . c u te loe v is s im o ; co rp o re m a c u lis ir r e g u -
la r ib u s c a s ta n e is c um la b e culis p u r p u r a s c e n ti-a lb id is in
h um e ro lin e d q u e la te r a li a lle r n a n iib u s va r ie g a to ; p a r t e
sp in o sd p in n æ d o r s i n ig r o n ia r g in a td , p a r l e a r ti c u la td
fa s c i d n ig r d p e r c u r sd .
R a d i i :— D . 17113; A. 9 ; C . 1 2 |.; P . 8 ; V . I |5 .
P l a t e X X X V I I ., figs. 4 , 5 , n a tu r a l siz e .
T h e g e n u s A g r io p u s p r e s e n ts th e p e c u lia r c h a r a c te r from
w h ic h th e J o u e s cu ira s s é e s o f C u v ie r d e riv e th e ir a p p e lla tio
n , in a le s s m a rk e d d e g r e e th a n m o s t o f th e o th e r form s
in c lu d e d in th e g ro u p . T h e iiif r a -o rb ita r c h a in a b u t s
a g a in s t th e u p p e r e n d o f th e p re o p e r c u lu r a o n ly , in s te a d o f
sen d in g a s tro n g b r a n c h a c ro s s th e m id d le o f th e c h e e k to
th e b e n d o f th e b o n e . T r a c h in u s v ip e ra , r e ta in e d b y C u v ie r
am o n g th e P e r c idæ , sh ow s a m o re d is tin c t b o n y e x te n s io n
o f th e s u b o rb ita r s w h ich c ro s s e s th e tem p le s to th e tip o f
th e p re o p e rc u lum , a n d in th e U ranoscopi th e c h e e k s a re
la rg e ly co v e red b y th e su b o rb ita r p la te s . I n f a c t th e T ra -
c h in i a n d U ra n o s co p i a s so c ia te m o re n a tu r a lly w ith th e
family to w h ich A g r io p u s b e lo n g s th a n w ith th e P e r c idæ .
M o s t o f th e J o u e s cu ira s s é e s liv e h a b itu a lly a t th e b o ttom
o f th e s e a a n d tra v e l ov e r th e s a n d o r m u d in s e a rc h o f th e ir
food. T h e T r ig læ p o s s e s s s im p le , free r a y s u n d e r th e p e c to
ra ls, w h ich th e y u s e a s f e e t, a n d p e rh a p s a lso a s o rg a n s
o f to u c h . T h e p ro je c tin g th ic k tip s o f th e low e r ra y s o f
th e p e c to ra ls , a n d fre q u e n tly a lso o f th e v e n tra ls a n d an a ls,
so e v id en t in th e m a jo rity o f th e m em b e rs o f th e g ro u p , a re
m o s t lik e ly fo rm ed fo r s im ila r u s e s , a n d in th is s tru c tu r e th e
T r a c h in i a n d U ra n o sco p i a g re e , a s w e ll a s in th e co p io u s n
e s s o f th e ir m u c ig e n o u s g la n d s . M o s t o f th e f ish th a t
dwe ll a t th e b o ttom o f th e s e a a n d buiTow in th e s a n d r e qu
ire to h a v e th e ir sk in s we ll lu b r ic a te d , a f a c t w h ic h m ay
b e g a ih e rc d from a n e x am in a tio n o f th o B a tr a c h id æ , M u -
ræ n idoe , S ilu r id æ , Gobiidæ, a n d o f th e fam ily now u n d e r
con sid e ra tio n .
As fa r a s I h a v e b e e n a b le to a s c e r ta in , th e A g r io p i e x is t
in th e so u th e rn h em isp h e r e o n ly ; a n d o f th e five sp e c ie s
th a t h av e b e e n d e s c rib e d , th r e e fre q u e n t th e C a p e o f G o o d
H o p e a n d two th e c o a s ts o f C h ili a n d P e ru . T h r e e h a v e
b ris tly o r w a r ty sk in s, v iz . Ag. v e r ru c o su s (C u v .), A g r .
sp in ife r , (Sm ith, S o u th Afr. Z o o l.), a n d A g r . h isp id u s ,
(J e n y n s , Z o o l. o f V o y . o f B e a g le ) ; w h ile two, A g r . to r v u s
a n d A g r . p e ru v ia n u s h a v e sm o o th s k in s : A g r . len co pæ c ilu s
b e in g also q u ite sm o o th , b r in g s th e n um b e r s o f th e sm o o th
a n d ro u g h -sk in n e d s p e c ie s th a t a re k n ow n , to a n e q u a lity .
T h is fish differs from o th e r sp e c ie s , in b e in g r a th e r le ss
ta p e r in g p o s te rio rly . T h e h e ig h t o f th e b o d y is o n e - th ird
o f th e to ta l le n g th , a n d is g r e a te s t a t th e a tta c hm e n t o f th e
v en tra ls , where th e th ic k n e s s is le s s th a n h a lf th e h e ig h t.
T h e h e a d fo rm s o n e -fo u rth o f th e e n tire le n g th . T h e p e l vic
b o n e s b e in g d e p re s s e d , m a k e s th e h e ig h t a t th e n a p e
co n s id e rab le , a n d b r in g s n o t o n ly th e v e n tr a ls , b u t ev en
th e p e c to ra ls b e n e a th th e le v e l o f th e u n d e r p a r t o f th e
h e a d . T h e sm a ll te rm in a l m o u th is r a th e r ab o v e th e le v e l
o f th e lower th i rd o f th e b o d y . T h e o rb it h a v in g a som e w
h a t o v a te fo im a n d e n c ro a c h in g u p o n th e p ro file , is m id way
b e tw e en th e orific e o f th e m o u th a n d g ill-o p e n in g , b e in
g r a th e r m o re th a n th e le n g th o f its ow n d iam e te r from
ea ch. I t s u p p e r b o rd e r b e in g a little e le v a te d , r e n d e r s th e
in te ro rb ita l sp a c e s lig h tly co n c av e . T h i s sp a c e is b ro a d e s t
b e h in d , w h e re i t e q u a ls th e v e r tic a l d iam e te r o f th e ey e .
I h e r e a re n o sp in o u s p o in ts w h a te v e r o n th e h e a d , b u t th e
g ra n u la te d , th e g ra in s b e in g r a n g e d on
th e d isk s o f th e p re o p e r c u lum a n d p a r ie ta l b o n e s in r a d ia t-
m g lin e s , a n d in two p a r a lle l lin e s in th e in te ro rb ita l sp a c e .
l a i n t s tre a k s n o t gi-anular a re p e r c e p tib le o n th e o p e r c u lum,
w h ic h is c lo th e d w ith sm o o th in te g um e n t. A n
e le v a te d , lin e a r,_ g ra n u la te d d is k o f o n e o f th e b o n e s o f th e
hum e ra l c h a in lie s b e h in d th e sm a ll v e r tic a l g ill-o p en in g .
I h e g ill-m em b ran e is c o n tin u o u s w ith th e a d jo in in g iu te -
g um e n t, a n d o n ly th r e e g ill-ra y s shew th ro u g h it in th e
d rie d sp e c im e n . T h e te e tli o n th e jaw s a re c row d e d a n d
s e ta c e o u s , h ig h e r o n th e lowe r jaw , a n d n o t fo rm in g b ro a d
d e n ta l p la te s on e ith e r. T h e vom e r a p p e a r s to b e q u ite
sm o o th .
T h e d o rs a l is s h a p e d lik e th a t o f th e r e s t o f th e g e n u s ,
b u t is n o t so s te e p ly a r c h e d a s in som e sp e c ie s . T h e fifth
sp in e is th e h ig h e s t, a n d c o n s id e ra b ly e x c e e d s h a l f th e
h e ig h t o f th e b o d y . T h e la s t s p in e is c o n s id e ra b ly ta lle r
th a n th e p e n u ltim a te o ne , a n d th e so ft p a r t o f th e fin ris e s
a b o v e th e n in e p o s te r io r sp in e s . T h e v e n tra ls a r e a t ta c h e d
a little p o s te r io r to th e p e c to r a ls a n d o p p o s ite to th e
s e v e n th d o r s a l sp in e . T h i s sp in e is s tr ia te d , s to u t, a n d
o n e - th ird s h o r te r th a n th e jo in te d r a y s w h ic h a rc u n b
r a n c h e d . T h e p e c to r a l ra y s , e ig h t in n um b e r , a rc a lso
u n b r a n c h e d , a n d th e low e r fo u r h av e th e m em b ra n e d e e p ly
n o tc h e d be tw e en th e i r tip s . T h e r e is n o v e s tig e o f a sp in e
in th e a n a l fin. L e n g th o f th e sp e c im e n a b o u t n in e a n d a
h a l f in c h e s .
H a b . S o u th -A u s tra lia n Sea.
L o t a b r e v iu s c u l a . R ic h a rd so n .
R a d i i :— B . 7 ; D . 8— 4 8 ; A. 5 0 ; C. 1 7 | ; P . 22 ; V. 6 .
P la te X X X V I I I ., figs. 1, 2, n a tu r a l siz e .
T h is sm a ll lin g a p p ro a c h e s th e L o ta b a c ch u s o f F o r s te r ,
[ruhiginosa, S o la n d e r? ) in its fo rm a n d c h a r a c te r s , a n d in a
le s s d e p -e e th e L . m a g e lla n ic a a n d rh a c in a o f th e sam e
n a tu r a lis t, b u t we c a n n o t v e n tu r e to re fe r i t to a n y o f th e s e
sp e c ie s o n a c c o u n t o f th e d iffe ren c e in th e n um b e rs o f its
ra y s .*
T h e le n g th o f th e h e a d , w h ic h s c a r c e ly e q u a ls th e h e ig h t
o f th e b o d y , forms a fo u rth o f th e w h o le le n g th o f th e fish,
a n d th e th ic k n e s s b e fo re th e f ir s t d o rs a l is e q u a l to tw o -
th ird s o f th e h e ig h t. T h e p ro file ris e s g e n tly w ith a s lig h t
co n v e x ity ftom th e o b tu s e s n o u t to th e f ir s t d o rs a l. T h e
ey e s a re a d iam e te r o f th e o rb it a p a r t, a u d a re p la c e d a t th e
sam e d is ta n c e from th e t ip o f th e s n o u t, b u t fu lly two d ia m
e te rs from th e ed g e o f th e g ill-co v e r. T h e m o u th is b e n
e a th a n d r a th e r b e h in d th e e n d o f th e sn o u t. T h e jaw s
a re a rm ed b y villifo rm b a n d s o f te e th o f ev en h e ig h t, a n d
th e p h a ry n g e a ls a r e ro u g h w ith m in u te te e lh , b u t th e f ro n t
o f th e vom e r, th e p a la te -b o n e s , a n d r e s t o f th e m o u th a re
c o v e re d w ith sm o o th w h ite in te g um e n t. T h e s c a le s a r e o f
m o d e ra te s iz e c om p a re d with th o s e o f o th e r G a d id x , th e r e
b e in g o n ly sev en ty -tw o row s b e tw e e n th e g ill-o p e n in g a n d
c a u d a l fin. T h e y c o v e r a ll th e h e a d e x c e p t tlie p r e o rb ita r ,
jaw s , in te r-o p e rc u lum a n d g ill-m em b ra n e . T h e f ir s t d o r sa
l, h a v in g a tr ia n g u la r fo rm , s ta n d s a s h ig h a s th e se c o n d
o n e a n d co n tig u o u s to it . T h e v e n t i s u n d e r its p o s te r io r
ra y s . T h e v e n tra ls a re s le n d e r a n d a r e s p lit a t th e lip in to
two u n e q u a l filam e n ts . C a u d a l ro u n d e d . L e n g th o f s p e c
im e n n e a rly seven in c h e s ; i t s c o lo u r fad ed .
H a b . B a y o f I s la n d s in N ew Z e a la n d .
* Gadus ruUginosus, Sol. B . 7 ; D. 10— A.— C.— P .— V.—
WcAu i, Fo rst. 7 ; 10—4 2 ; 4 0 ; 2 6 ; 2 2 ; 6.
magellanicus, Forst. 6 ;
rkacinus, Forst.
5—3 1 ; 2 5 ; 1 4 ; 1 7 ; 6.
5—6 8 ; 6 2 ; 2 8 ; 2 2 ; 6.