P e t r o m y z o n m o r d a x . R ic h a rd so n .
R a d i i D . 5 3— 8 0 ; C ?
P l a t e X X X V I I I ., figs. 3— 5 n a tu r a l s iz e ; 6 m a g n ified .
I n th is lam p r e y tlie v e n t is o n e -s e v e n th o f th e whole
l e n g th o f th e fish d i s ta n t from th e t ip o f th e ta i l , a n d
th e f ir s t g ill-o p e n in g is a t a n eq u a l d is ta n c e from th e e n d
o f th e s n o u t. T h e f ir s t d o rs a l, s h o r t a n d ro u n d e d , is c o n s
id e ra b ly b e h in d th e m id d le o f th e fish , a n d is w id e ly s e p a r
a te d from th e s e c o n d o n e , w h ic h is m u c h lo n g e r a n d
p a s s e s th e v e n t b y a q u a r te r o f its le n g th . T h e c a u d a l
is d iv id e d in to a n u p p e r a n d u n d e r lo b e , w h ic h v a n ish a t th e
t ip o f th e ta il. D e lic a te r a y s su p p o r t th e s e fin s , b u t th e
th ic k n e s s o f th e sk in p r e v e n te d m e from r e c k o n in g th em .
N o n e e x i s t a t th e e x tr em e tip o f th e ta il, n o r in a low m em b
ra n e w h ic h c o n n e c ts th e u p p e r c a u d a l lo b e w ith th e s e c o n d
d o r s a l. T h e r e is a lso a s h o r t m em b r a n e d e s titu te o f ra y s
b e fo re th e u n d e r lo b e , a n d a p a le m e s ia l s tr ip e e x te n d s from
i t to th e v e n t. T h e r e s t o f th e fish is c o lo u r e d d a rk um b e r
b row n , p a le r on th e b e lly , a n d th e r e is a p a le s p o t b e tw e e n
th e e y e s , b e h in d th e so lita ry n a s a l tu b e .
T h e o rific e o f th e m o u th is a lo n g itu d in a l s lit, a rm e d on
th e e d g e s b y a c u te te e th s e t a lte rn a te ly in tw o rows, a s r e p
r e s e n te d in fig u re 5. F ig u r e 6 e x h ib its th e in s id e o f th e
m o u th w ith th e lip s sh a v e d off, a n d sh ow s a c irc le o f a b o u t
th ir ty sm a ll a c u te te e lh , w ith a so lita ry o n e in fro n t. Mo re
w ith in b e fo re th e oe s o p h a g u s th e r e is a h o rn y p la te o n e a ch
s id e o f th e m e s ia l lin e , h a v in g th re e c o n ic a l, a c u te c u sp s ;
a n d b e n e a th th e oe s o p h a g u s th e r e a re five te e th r a n g e d in
a tra n sv e rs e c u rv e te rm in a te d a t e a c h , e n d b y a la rg e r to o th
h a v in g tw o a c u te c u sp s . T h e to n g u e is r e p r e s e n te d b y th e
a r t i s t a s p ro je c tin g forwa rds a n d n e a r ly c o n c e a lin g th e o r if
ic e o f th e g u lle t, b u t th e e x a c t fo rm o f th e tw o la rg e
t e e th o n i t s fo re e d g e is n o t well shown. T h o u g h th e s e
t e e th a p p e a r c o n ic a l w h e n v iew ed in fro n t, th e y h a v e , in
f a c t, a c r e s c e n tic , s e r r a te d , c u ttin g e d g e , a n d th e y a re
in c lin e d to e a c h o th e r , so a s to m e e t o n th e m e s ia l lin e in
a n a c u te a n g le : b e h in d th em th e r e is a row o f sm a ll te e th
lik e a s aw, o n e a c h s id e o f th e to n g u e , wh ich a re n o t sh ow n
in th e fig u re . T h e P. t r id e n ti fe r o f th e F a u n a B o r e a li-
A m e r ic a n a , a n o th e r sp e c ie s from th e P a c if ic O c e a n , h a s
th e te e th v e ry d iffe re n tly a r ra n g e d .
L e n g th o f th e o n ly sp e c im e n o f P . m o r d a x in th e c o lle c tio
n , 10^ in c h e s .
H a b . S e a s o f V a n D iem e n ’s L a n d .
C h a t o e su s c o m e . R u s s e ll.
Clupea thrissa, R u ss ell, Coromand. Fishes, ii. p. 76, pi. 196. (Kome).
R a d i i :—B . 4 ; D . 1 7 ; A. 2 2 ; C. 1 9 | ; P . 1 5 ; V . 8 .
P la t e X X X V I I I ., figs. 7— 10, n a tu r a l siz e .
O u r sp e c im e n o f th is fish is r a th e r h ig h e r in p ro p o r tio n
to its l e n g th th a n R u s s e ll’s fig u re , b u t a s in o th e r r e sp e c ts
th e r e is n o m a rk e d d is c r e p a n c y , a n d th e n um b e r s o f th e
r a y s d o n o t diffe r m o re th a n o ften h a p p e n s am o n g in d i v
id u a ls o f th e sam e s p e c ie s in th i s g e n u s , I h a v e u o t v e n tu
r e d to c o n s id e r th em a s d is tin c t. T h e C lu p e a n a s u s o f
B lo c h (429, fig. 1 .), is a m o re s le n d e r fish, w h o s e h e ig h t, if
w e m a y ju d g e from th e d r aw in g , d o e s u o t e x c e e d on e -
fo u r th o f th e to ta l le n g th . C u v ie r c o n s id e rs come a n d n a -
s iis a s th e sam e sp e c ie s , a n d R u s s e ll o n th e o th e r h a n d
re fe rs come to th e C lu p e a th r is s a o f B lo c h , b u t w e d o n o t
th in k th a t e ith e r o f th e s e a p p ro x im a tio n s c a n b e su p p o r te d
b y th e fig u re s.
T h i s fish is g r e a tly com p re s s ed , i ts th ic k n e s s b e in g little
m o re th a n o n e -fifth o f its g r e a te s t h e ig h t, w h ich a g a in
is e q u a l to o n e - th ird o f th e le n g th in c lu d in g th e tip s o f th e
c a u d a l fin. T h e p ro file e x c lu d in g th e ta il is a r e g u la r oval.
T h e b e lly is s e r r a te d a n d v e ry a c u te , a n d th e e d g e o f th e
s h o u ld e r from th e fin to th e c ra n ia l p la te is a lso very
a cu te . T h e h e a d fo rm s a b o u t o n e -fifth o r r a th e r m ore o f
th e to ta l le n g th , a u d i t h a s th e u su a l c r a n ia l p la te , co v e red
w ith sm o o th skin. T h i s p la te h a s a n a lm o s t o b so le te c e n t
r a l r id g e , fi-om w h e n c e i t s lo p e s v e ry g e n tly to e a c h side.
I t is b o u n d e d la te r a lly b y th e o rb it, a n d a g ro o v e ru n n in g
b a c kw a rd a n d te rm in a tin g o n th e s id e o f th e o c c ip u t in s ix
o r se v e n s h o r t fuiTows, a s sh ow n in fig u re 8 . T h e nose
p ro je c ts a little b e y o n d th e sm a ll, to o th le s s m o u th , whose
orific e w h e n v iew e d in f ro n t is tr ia n g u la r , a n d th e tip o f
th e low e r jaw fits in to a sm o o th n o tc h in th e m id d le o f th e
u p p e r o n e . T h e sm a ll, s le n d e r, lin e a r m a x illa ry is u o t c o n c
e a le d b y th e p r e o rb ita r w h en th e m o u th is c lo s ed . T h e r e
a re a b o u t fo r ty s c a le s in a lo n g itu d in a l row a n d fifte en
o r s ix te e n row s in h e ig h t. F a in t im p re s s io n s o n th e
s c a le s , give th e a p p e a r a n c e o f a s m a n y la te ra l lin e s a s
th e r e a re row s , b u t th e re is n o w e ll-m a rk e d la te r a l lin e .
T h e e x p o s e d d isk s o f th e s c a le s a re na rrow , v e rtic a l rh om b s
with sh a rp a n g le s . A d e ta c h e d s c a le is tra n sv e rs e ly oval
w ith o b tu s e en d s , w ith o u t fan -lik e s tr e a k s o u th e b a s e , a n d
h a v in g th e u n c o v e re d e d g e r a th e r d e e p ly c r e n a te d . S c a ly
s h e a th s e x i s t a t th e b o ttom o f th e d o rs a l a u d a n a l ; a n d
lo n g s c a le s lie o v e r th e p e c to r a l a n d v e n tra ls a n d a lso b e twe
en th e l a tte r fins. T h e c a u d a l is d e e p ly fo rk ed , w ith
a c u te lo b e s . T h e v e n tr a ls a re u n d e r th e m id d le o f th e d o r s
a l. T h e c o lo u r o f th e f ish in s p ir its is s ilv e ry w ith a
b lu is h g r a y t in t o n th e b a ck .
L e n g th o f sp e c im e n 4 ^ in c h e s .
H ab. W e s te rn A u s tr a lia . In d ia n O c e an.
T e t r o d o n v ir g a t u s . R ic h a rd s o n .
R a d i i :— D . 9 ; A. 1 0 ; C. 9 ; P . 1 6 .
P la te X X X IX ., figs. 8— 9, n a tu r a l siz e .
T h i s Te tro d o n se em s to b e n e a rly a llie d in form a n d
m a rk in g s to T . lin e a tu s o f L innaeus a u d Bl. 1 4 1 , b u t th e re
i s some d iffe ren c e in th e d is tr ib u tio n o f th e s tr ip e s a s we ll
a s in th e ir b r e a d th , so th a t w e c a n s c a rc e ly v en tu re to c o n s
id e r th em a s b e lo n g in g to th e sam e sp e c ie s , a n d th e ir ve ry
d i s ta n t h a b ita ts is a fu rth e r p r e s um p tio n a g a in s t u n itin g
th em . T h e form o f th is fish w h en d is te n d e d is o v a te , w ith o
u t a b e a k , th e te e th o n ly a n d ed g e s o f th e lip s p ro je c tin g
o u t o f th e g e n e ra l p ro file . T h e n a s a l o rific e s a re a t th e e x tr
em itie s o f a p a ir o f tu b e s o n e a c h s id e , r e s em b lin g b ifid
b a rb e ls . S le n d e r a c u te sp in e s s tu d th e w h o le in te g um e n t
e x c e p t th e lip s , a n a r row r in g ro u n d th e e y e , th e fin s a u d
th e ir b a s e s , w ith th e g r e a te r p a r t o f th e t ru n k o f th e ta il.
T h e g ro u n d c o lo u r is b la c k ish g ra y o n th e b a c k , a n d p a le r
on th e sid e s a n d b e lly , a n d n in e o r te n b la c k is h lo n g itu d in
a l s tre ak s tr a v e rs e th e whole b o d y . T h e c a u d a l is d a rk ish
, a n d th e r e a re som e d a rk s h a d e s o n th e d o r s a l a n d a n a l,
b u t th 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 th ro u g h th e
lo n g im m e rs io n o f th e sp e c im e n in sp irits .
L e n g th 4 j in c h e s .
H ab. P o r t J a c k s o n .
T e t r o d o n h a m il t o n i . R ic h a rd s o u .
R a d i i :— D . 9 ; A. 6 ; C. 7 ^ ; P . 15.
r e iro Jo Ji/lam ik o n i, Ricliavdson, MS . C a t. of H asl. M u s .; L is t of
New Z e a la n d Fishes, Dieffeubaeh’s Travels, &c. Appendix.
P la te X X X IX ., fig s . 1 0 a n d 1 1 , n a tu r a l siz e .
S p e c im e n s o f th is T e tro d o n h a v e lo n g e x is te d in th e
M u seum o f H a s la r , to w h ic h th e y were p r e s e n te d b y S u r g
eo n H am ilto n o f th e R o y a l N a v y , who p ro c u r e d th em in
P o r t J a c k s o n . I t a p p e a r s to b e a n a b u n d a n t s p e c ie s in
th a t lo c a lity , a s th e e x am p le s o f i t a re n um e ro u s in S ir
J am e s R o s s ’s c o lle c tio n .
T h e b e lly is c a p a b le o f m o d e ra te d is te n tio n , so a s to a c q
u ire a co n s id e ra b ly g r e a te r c o n v e x ity th a n th e b a c k , b u t
so th a t th e h e ig h t a n d w id th o f th e b o d y a re e q u a l, a n d
th e n th e p ro file is o b lo n g -o v a l, th e h e ig h t b e in g o n e - th ird
o f th e to ta l le n g th . T h e n a s a l o rific e s a re s e a te d in a p o u t in
g p a p illa , a n d th e in n e r su rfa c e o f th e lip s is f rin g e d b y
s h o r t sk in n y p ro c e s s e s . T h e sk in is ro u g h w ith s h o r t s im p
le sp in e s on th e b a c k from th e n o s tr ils to th e c a u d a l, a n d
also on th e u n d e r su rfa c e fo r th e sam e d is ta n c e . T h e
flan k s a re p a rtia lly ro u g h , m in u te sp in e s e x is tin g o n th e
che eks, a sp a c e b e h in d th e p e c to r a ls c o n n e c tin g th e u p p e r
a n d u n d e r spm o u s su r f a c e s , a n d a lso a n a r c h o f th e ta il.
T h e sm o o th p a r ts a re , a ll Uie fin s a n d a c ir c le ro u n d th e ir
b a s e s , in c lu d in g th e a x illa o f th e p e c to r a l, th e lip s a n d
sn o u t b a c k to th e n o s trils , th e c h in , c irc le ro u n d th e o r b
it, m a rg in o f th e g ill-o p e u in g a n d th e m id d le o f th e flan k s
b a c k to th e c a u d a l fin ,— th e sm o o th s p a c e n a r row in g c o n s id
e ra b ly p o s te r io r to th e a n u s , a n d b e in g b o u n d e d b e n e a th
on th e ta il b y a k in d o f ra is e d p o ro u s s e am o r la te r a l lin e .
T h e b a c k is th ic k ly m o ttle d w ith ro u n d s p o ts a n d m in u te
sp e ck s in th e in te rs tic e s . T h e la rg e r sp o ts o n th e fo re p a r t
o f th e b a c k a re r a n g e d in tra n sv e rs e row s , m o re d is tin c tly
in some in d iv id u a ls th a n in o th e rs . T h e fla n k s a re
m a rk ed b y a se rie s o f o v a l b la c k b lo tc h e s from th e m o u th
to th e t a i l ; a n d th e u n d e r su rfa c e is w h ite .
T h e sp e c im e n s v a ry from th r e e to five in c h e s in siz e .
Mrs. M e r e d ith in h e r ‘ N o te s o f N ew S o u th W a le s ,’*
sp e ak s o f th is T e tro d o n in th e fo llow in g te rm s . “ A d is g
u s tin g te n a n t o f m o s t o f th e sh o r e s a ro u n d S y d n e y , is th e
to a d - f is h : m o s t adm ira b ly n am e d ; i t lo o k s p re c is e ly lik e
a to a d e lo n g a te d in to a fish, w ith a to u g h , le a th e ry , s c a le le
s s sk in , a n d a b lo a te d b o d y , d a rk m o ttle d b row n ab o v e ,
* London, Mu rray , 1844.
a n d w h ite b e n e a th . I t is u su a lly a b o u t five in c h e s lo n g ,
a n d d is p ro p o r tio n a te ly b ro a d , b u t swims v e ry sw iftly , a u d
i s for i t s s iz e , a s b o ld a n d v o ra c io u s a s th e s h a rk . W h e n
I s a id M r. M e r e d ith d id n o t fish w ith th e ro d , I m ig h t h a v e
a d d e d th a t h e c o u ld n o t, fo r th e to ad -fish , w h ich sw a rm
e v e ryw h e re , n o s o o n e r se e a n y th in g d ro p p e d in th e w a te r,
th a n th e y d a r t tow a rd s i t b y d o z e n s , a n d f ig h t am o n g
th em s e lv e s for th e h o n o u r o f sw a llow in g y o u r h o o k , g e n e ra
lly ta k in g th e p r e c a u tio n to b i te o ff y o u r lin e a t th e sam e
tim e . T h i s e x tr em e a n x ie ty to b e c a u g h t m ig h t p e rh a p s
b e p a rd o n e d , we re th e g re e d y l ittle w r e tc h e s f it to e a t, b u t
th e y a re h ig h ly p o iso n o u s ; a n d a lth o u g h I s h o u ld h a v e
th o u g h t th e ir d is g u s tin g a p p e a r a n c e su ffic ien t to p r e v e n t
th e ir b e in g tr ie d , I k n ow o n e in s ta n c e a t le a s t, o f th e ir fa ta l
e ffe c ts ; a la d y w ith w hose family I am in tim a te h a v in g
d ie d in c o n s e q u e n c e o f e a tin g th em . A s th e y th u s efl'ectu-
a lly p u t a s to p to o u r a n g lin g b y b itin g o ff e v e ry h o o k
d ro p p e d in th e w a te r b e fo re a n y o th e r fish h a d tim e to lo o k
a t it , th e y e sp e c ia lly e n jo y e d th e b e n e f it o f th e fish in g
s p e a r, u p o n w h ich m a n y h u n d r e d s , i f n o t th o u s a n d s , m u s t
h a v e b e e n im p a le d in su c c e s s io n . T h i s so u n d s ve ry w a n to
n ly c ru e l, b u t le t n o o n e p ro n o u n c e i t so who is n o t w e ll
a c q u a in te d w ith th e to a d -fish ; from th o s e who a re , I fe a r
n o rep ro o f. W h e n sp e a r e d , th e y d ir e c tly in fla te Ih e ir
le a th e ry sk in s lik e a b a llo o n , a n d e je c t a s tre am o f liq u id
from th e i r m o u th s , with a r e p o r t a s i f th e y h a d b u r s t. I f
f lu n g ag a in in to th e w a te r , h ow e v e r w o u n d ed , th e y in s ta n tly
swim a b o u t a n d b e g in e a tin g ; a n d s h o u ld o n e b e a little
le s s a c tiv e th a n h is fellows, th e y fo rthw ith a tta c k a n d e a t
h im u p . E v e n ra y p o o r little h a rm le s s frie n d s , th e c rab s ,
b e com e tlie ir v ic tim s ; w h e n th o s e u su a lly w e ll-a rm e d
tro o p s h a v e j u s t g o t th e ir so ft n ew c o a ts o n , a n d a re a lm o s t
d e fe n c e le s s , th e n com e th e cow a rd ly , ra v e n o u s to a d - f is h ,
a n d m a k e te rrib le o n s la u g h ts am o n g th em , a n a tte n tio n
w h ic h I b e lie v e th e c r a b s ev e n tu a lly re p a y w ith in te r e s t.”
( p . 1 5 5 ) .
J I a b . S e a -c o a s ts o f A u s tra lia , V a n D iem e n ’s L a n d , a n d
M o n a c a n t h u s g r .a n u l a t u s . W h ite [B a lis te s ).
R a d i i : - D . 21— 30 ; A. 28 ; C. 12 ; P . 11.
Balistes granulatus, W b ite , Voy. New So uth Wale.s, p. 29o, pi. a t p.
254, lower figure.
P la te X L ., fig. 1 , n a tu r a l s i z e ; 2 , m ag n ified .
M r. W h ite ’s fig u re s o f fish a re iu g e n e r a l ru d e ly d raw n ,
a n d in th is o n e th e r e is a w a n t o f d e ta il fo r th e p ro p e r d is c
r im in a tio n o f th e sp e c ie s . W e a re , h ow ev e r, in d u c e d to
c o n s id e r a M o n a c a n th u s o b ta in e d b y S ir J am e s R o s s a t
S y d n e y a s th e sam e w ith W h ite ’s, b e c a u s e th e g ro u n d c o lo
u r, th e g ra in s b y w h ich th e b o d y a p p e a r s to b e s tu d d e d ,
th e p ro file a n d th e p la c e o f c a p tu r e a re th e sam e .
A ll th a t W h ite s a y s o f b is tis h is in c lu d e d in th e followin
g se n te n c e s . “ B a l i s te s p in n d d o r s a li a n te r io r e b ira -
d ia id , corpore g ranoso. V a ld e a ffin is B . p a p illo so L in n t s i .
C o rp u s a lb id o -c in e ra s c en s , p a p i l l i s p a r v u lis a sp e r sum .
T h o r a x v e lu t i n sa c c v lum p r o d u c iu s .”
S c h n e id e r re fe rs W h ite ’s fish to th e B a lis te s p a p illo sm