a d iam e te r a p a r t, a n d a s th e y a re tum id , th e y in te rfe re
s lig h tly w ith th e a r c h o f th e pro file . V iew e d from a b o v e ,
th e fish s e em s to b e com p o s e d o f th e s e c tio n s o f tw o co n e s
j o in e d b y th e ir b a s e s ; th e h e a d b e in g a s h o r te r a n d w id e r
o n e , w ith a t r u n c a te d a p e x , a n d th e b o d y m o re s le n d e r a n d
t a p e r in g a c u te ly in to th e c a u d a l fiu. A t th e p o in t o f th e
g ill-c o v e r th e h e ig h t is one -fifth o f th e to ta l le n g th , a n d th e
w id th is r a th e r le s s th a n tw ic e th e h e ig h t, o r i t is c o n ta in e d
tw ic e a n d tw o - th ird s in th e to ta l le n g th , c a u d a l iucltidecl.
T h e sk in is q u ite sm o o th a n d s c a le le s s , b u t w h en ex am in e d
b y a le n s , i t e x h ib its a m in u te ly r e tic u la te d su rfa c e . T h e r e
a re a few s c a tte r e d p o r e s o n th e sn o u t a n d tem p le s . T h e
n o s tr ils a re two sm a ll o rific e s w ith tum id lip s , w h ic h sw e ll
in to a l ittle flap o n o n e s id e o f tb e a n te r io r o p e n in g ; th e
p o s te r io r a p e r tu r e is c o n tig u o u s to th e ey e . T h e re a re n o
furrows o u th e h e a d . T h e o rific e o f th e m o u th is sm a ll, a n d
p la c e d b e n e a th a n d s lig h tly b e h in d th e e x trem e e n d o f th e
s n o u t ; i t is n o t c le ft q u ite so f a r b a c k a s th e fore p a r t o f
th e ey e . T h e jaw s a re a rm e d b y tru n c a te d in c is o r te e th ,
fo u r o r fiv e d e e p in fro n t, b u t th in n in g o ff to a s in g le row
tow a rd s th e a n g le o f th e m o u th ; th e e x te r io r o u e s a re
ta lle r , a n d a re r a n g e d in a n ev en , p e c tiu a te d s e rie s , a s re p
re s e n te d in fig u re s 4 a n d 5 . F ig u re 6 sh ow s th e te e th o f
th e low e r jaw , in w h ic h th e in te r io r o n e s a re m o re c o n s
p ic u o u s th a n in th e u p p e r jaw . T h e su b o p e rc u lum e n d s
in a n a c u te , sp in o u s p o in t, w h ic h is e n v e lo p e d in so ft in te g
um e n t. T h e fo rm o f th e o p e rc u lum d o e s n o t show
th ro u g h th e so f t p a r ts , a n d i t h a s n o p rom in e n t b o n y c o r n
e rs , b u t its so ft m em b ra n o u s tip fo rm s a k in d o f lid to th e
g ill-o p e n in g , w h ich is r e s tr ic te d be low b y a n inw a rd tu rn o f
th e g ill-m em b ra n e .
T h e s u c k in g a p p a r a tu s is d iv id e d in to two co n c a v e d isk s
b y a d e e p , tra n sv e rs e d e p re s s io n . T h e a n te r io r o r p e c to r a l
d is k is wid e r, h a s a s em ilu n a te sh a p e , a n d is c om p le te d o u
th e s id e s b y fo u r e n la rg e d ra y s o f th e p e c to r a l. T h e r e s t
o f th e p e c to r a l h a s a ro u n d e d o u tlin e , w ith fine ra y s , a n d
th e u s u a l p o s itio n o f th a t fin. O n th e b a s e o f th e f in , in
th e a n g le b e tw e e n i t s v e rtic a l a n d h o r iz o n ta l p a r ts , th e r e is
a p rom in e n t a n d som ew h a t lo o se fle sh y lo b e . T h e p o s te
r io r o r v e n tra l d isk i s tra n sv e rs e ly ova l, a n d is s u rro u n d e d
b y a m em b ra n o u s b o rd e r , w h ic h is fre e th ro u g h o u t, a n d
a n te r io r ly ove rlie s a n d c o n c e a ls th e d e p re s s io n b e h in d th e
p e c to r a l d isk . N o ra y s c a n b e d e te c te d in th is b o rd e r , b u t
i ts p o s te r io r h a l f is fu rn ish e d w ith a s in g le row o f fla t em in
e n c e s s u c h a s s tu d th e su rfa c e o f b o th d isk s . T h e v e n t
r a ls a re sm a ll, a n d a p p lie d to th e s id e s b e liin d th e
p e c to ra ls . T h e ir ra y s a re so fin e th a t th e y c a n s c a rc e ly be
p e r c e iv e d w ith th e a id o f a le n s , th ro u g h th e th ic k
m em b ra n e . T h e d o rs a l c om m en c e s b e h in d th e a n u s , a n d
i t s la s t r a y is b o u n d to th e b a c k b y m em b ra n e th ro u g h o
u t its le n g th , b u t is n o t jo in e d to th e c au d a l. T h e
a n a l is sm a lle r, a n d r e a c h e s a little fu rth e r b a c k , b u t
n e i th e r is i t jo in e d to th e c a u d a l. T h e f ro n t ra y o f b o th
th e s e fins is v e ry s le n d e r a n d c a n n o t b e se e n b y th e n a k e d
ey e . T h e c a u d a l is e n la rg e d a t th e b a s e b y a n a rrow
m em b ra n o u s e d g e , w h ich em b ra c e s th e e n d o f th e ta il, a n d
a p p ro a c h e s c lo s e to th e d o r s a l a n d a n a l. T h re e s h o r t
ra y s in th is mem b ran e - ab o v e , a n d a s m a n y b e low , a re as
fin e a s h a ir s . T h e a n u s is a s n e a rly a s p o s s ib le in th e m id d
le o f th e to ta l le n g th , a n d b e h in d i t th e r e is a sm a ll
g e n ita l p a p i l l a on th e v e rg e o f a n o th e r o p e n in g . T h e c o lo
u r o f th e sp e c im e n , a fte r lo n g m a c e ra tio n in s p ir its , is a
p u r e r e d , v e ry p a le o n som e p a r ts , a n d m o re in ten s e
in o th e rs . T h e r e is a m o ttlin g o f d a rk e r red p a tc h e s on
th e b a c k , b u t i t -is n o t e a sy to d e te rm in e w h e th e r i t be
c a u s e d b y o rig in a l m a rk in g s , o r b e m e re ly tlie r em a in s o f
th e g e n e ra l t in t w h ich h a s fa d e d le s s o n th o s e sp o ts . T h e
ey e is a b r ig h t c a rm in e . L e n g th 2^ in c h e s .
H ab. N ew Z e a la u d , w h e re i t w a s d e te c te d b y D r.
H o o k e r.
Mach®riom subducens. R ic h a rd s o n .
R a d i i B . 6 ; D . 72 ; A. 60 ; C. 9 ; P . 10 ; V. 0.
MachtBrium swirfueew,Richardson, Annals an d i l a g . o f N a t. Hist, for
Septemher, 1843, xii. p, 175, pi. 6.
P l a t e X L IV ., figs. 1— 4, n a tu r a l s i z e ; 5, 6 , mag n ified .
T h i s fish w a s o rig in a lly d e s c rib e d from a d r ie d sp e c im en
in th e w o rk ab o v e q u o te d , a n d th e fig u re b e in g in d iffe re n t,
a n o th e r is n ow g iv en o f a sp e c im e n w h ich h a s b e e n k e p t in
s p ir its , a n d h a s lo s t m u c h o f its o rig in a l c o lo u r. W e sh a ll
tr a n s c r ib e th e g e n e ra l c h a r a c te r s o f th e fish a s re c o rd e d in
th a t w o rk , m a k in g su c h s lig h t a lte r a tio n s a n d a d d itio n s as
w e a re e n a b le d to d o fi-om th e m o re p e r f e c t s ta te o f th e
s p e c im e n s n ow b e fo re u s.
C h . Gen. P is c is m a la c o p te iijg iu s , a p o d u s , en s ifo rm is ,
sq u am o su s . C a p u t a n tic e c om p re ssum . Os m o d icd e x te n -
s iv um . L a h ia am p la , tum id a . D e n te s p a r v i , u n is e r ia le s ,
p e c t in a t i , in c iso r e s in a c u ta a c ie in t e rm a x il la r iu m m a x -
il la q u e in fe r io r is o r d in a ti. D e n te s p h a r y n g e i ac e rosi,
s tip a ti. A p e r tu r a b ra n c h ia lis s a tis m a g n a . R a d ii b ra n chiostega:
te r e te s m em b r a n am la rg iu s c u lam su s le n ta n te s .
G e n a e t r egione s su p ra s c a p u la r e s sq u am o sa . P in n a : v e r-
t ic a le s c o a lita , sp in is n u llis . P in n a d o rsi p e r m a x im a m
d o r s i p a r tem r e g n a n s . A n u s a n te m e d ium p is c em . L in e a
la te r a lis bre v is a n t e a n u m d e s in en s . S q u a m a c y c lo id e a
p a r v a .
F o rm e lo n g a te d a n d com p re s s ed , lik e th a t o f a G u n n e l-
la s o r O p h id ium , a n d s im ila r to a s tr a ig h t sw o rd o r
b u tc h e r ’s knife , w h en c e i t s g e n e ric a p p e lla tio n . T h e h e ig h t
o f th e b o d y is o n e - te n th o f th e to ta l le n g th , a n d i t s th ic k n
e s s o n e -fifte e n th . T h e com p re s s io n is m u c h g r e a te r b e h
in d th e a n u s , a n d au gm e n ts u p to th e tip o f th e ta il, w h ich
i s n o t a cu te . T h e h e a d , wh ich fo rm s a s e v e n th o f th e to ta l
l e n g th , is a lso com p re s s ed , e sp e c ia lly b e fo re th e ey e s, the
sn o u t b e in g a c u te wljon v iew ed from ab o v e b u t th e sw e llin
g o f th e lip s re n d e rs i t le s s shai-p th a n i t wo u ld o th e rw is e
b e . T h e c ra n ium is ro u n d e d a n d sm o o th tra v e rs e ly , b u t
a p p e a r s s tr a ig h t a n d h o r iz o n ta l in p ro file u p to tlie eye,
a n d a little c o n c av e in f ro n t o f it . T h e ey e , m o d e ra te ly
la rg e , is n e a r th e p ro file , a n d is o n e d iam e te r o f th e o rb it
n e a r e r to th e tip o f th e sn o u t th a n to th e p o s te r io r ed g e o f
th e g ill-o p e n in g . T h e n o s tr ils lie im m e d ia te ly be fore it,
th e h in d e r o p e n in g b e in g la rg e r th a n th e an te rio r o ne . T h e
c le ft o f th e m o u th d e s c e n d s o b liq u e ly a s i t ru n s b a ckw a rd s ,
a n d d o e s n o t r e a c h to th e fore e d g e o f th e o rb it. T h e iii-
te rn ia x illa r ie s a n d lo w e r j aw h a v in g th e ir e d g e s , wh ich are
v ery a c u te , s e t with a s in g le , c om p a c t, ev en s e rie s o f c om p
re s s ed c u ttin g le e lh , o f w h ic h th e r e a re a b o u t fo rty -s ix
on e a c h lim b o f e a c h jaw , a n d th o u g h th e y a re suffic
ie n tly c om p re s s e d to give th em a n in c iso ria l c h a ra c te r,
Ih c ir tip s a re a little ro u n d e d . T h e j aw s , o f e q u a l le n g th ,
h a v e in te rn a l s em i-e llip tic a l a re a s , w h ic h a re b o u n d e d b y
llie te e th . T h e c h ev ro n o f th e v om e r, r a th e r p rom in e n t,
a c u te -e d g e d , a n d lia v in g a c o n c av e d isk , is p e rfe c tly to o th le
ss, a n d th e p a la te h o n e s a re a lso sm o o th . T w o p h a ry n g
e a l b o n e s o n e a c h s id e a b o v e th e g u lle t a re d e n s e ly
c row ded w ith sh o r t, c o n ic a l, a c u te te e th , th e o u te r row on
e a ch b o n e b e in g ta lle r th a n th e r e s t o f th e d e n ta l surfa c e .
N o te e th were d e le c te d o n th e lowe r u n io n o f th e b ra n c liia l
a rch e s . E a c h o f th e fo u r a r c h e s is fu rn ish e d w ith two
row s o f r a th e r w id e ly s e t, s u b u la te , soft, c a r tila g in o u s p ro c
e sse s, b u t with n o r ig id te e th . T h e to n g u e , n a rrow , lo n g
a n d free, h a s a d ila te d , s p o o n - sh a p e d tip , fo rm e d b y th in ,
m em b ran o u s ed g e s.
B o th jaw s h a v e a b ro a d , c re s c e n tic v e lum , a n d th e e x te
r io r lip s a b o v e a n d b e low a re m u c h d ev e lo p ed . T h e
h o riz o n ta l e x te n t o f th e u p p e r lip wh en e x p a n d e d is
shown, b u t n o t fully, b y d o tte d lin e s in fig u re 2. T h e e x a
c t form o f th e lip in th is p o s itio n is t in n c a te d on a lin e
with th e a p e x o f th e in te rm a x illa r ie s , w h e re i t is b ro a d e s t,
a n d from th e n c e it g ra d u a lly n a r row s to th e an g le o f th e
m o u th , its o u tlin e b e in g tria n g u la r. T h e u n d e r lip s are
sim ila r in form a n d e x t e n t ; a n d b o th fold b a c k ab o v e a n d
be low on th e ir re sp e c tiv e jaw s . T h e in te rm a x illa ry p e d ic
le s e q u a l th e d e n ta l lim b o f th e b o n e in le n g th , a n d re a ch
b a ck over th e c e n tre o f th e o rb it, b u t a re n o t p ro tr a c tile
b e y o n d o n e - th ird o f th e ir le n g th . T h e m a x illa ry b o n e
forms n o p a r t o f th e c irc um fe re n c e o f th e m o u th , th o u g h its
low e r e n d d e s c en d s a l ittle be low th e an g le o f th e m o u th ,
p a s s in g c lo se to it. T h e a rtic u la tio n o f th e lowe r jaw is
fa r b a ck , p o s te rio r to th e eye a n d c o n tig u o u s to th e lowe r
e n d o f th e p re o p e rc u lum . T h e ve ry na rrow su b o rb ita r
ch a in is p e rfo ra te d b y a row o f sm a ll p o re s , w h ich re a c h e s
from th e n o s trils ro u n d tw o - th ird s o f th e o rb it to th e
tem p le s. T h e la rg e ch e e k is c o v e re d with sm a ll o b lo n g
tile d sc a le s , e lev en o r twe lve row s in h e i g h t ; th e
s c a ly surfa c e b e in g b o u n d e d p o s te rio rly b y th e m o d e ra
te ly curved, na rrow , smooth disk o f th e p re o p e rc u lum .
T h is bo n e in c lin e s b u t s lig h tly fo rw a rd a s i t d e s c e n d s , a n d
its u p p e r e n d is s e p a r a te d from th e o rb it b y a s c a ly sp a c e
eq u a l to th e h e ig h t o f th e ch e ek . T h e in te ro p e r c u lum lies
wholly b e h in d th e p re o p e rc u lum , ancl th e p ro je c tin g h e e l
o f th e low e r jaw moves a g a in s t its in fe rio r an g le . T h e
o p e rcu lum h a v in g a n a re a s c a rc e ly e q u a l to th a t o f th e in te
ro p e rcu lum , is i r i a n p l a r , its p o s te r io r an g le b e in g a c u te ,
b u t n o t p u n g e n t. I t is eq u a lle d in s iz e b y tho s u b o p c r c u lum,
w h ich h a s a c u rv e d e d g e , a n d gives a b lu n t form to
th e gill-flap. All th e g ill-p ie c e s a re co v e red w ith smooth
skin, a s is a lso th e to p o f th e h e a d b a c kw a rd s to th e o c c ip
u t, th e on ly sc a ly p a r ts b e in g th e ch e e k a n d s u p r a - s c a p
u la r region. T h e g ill-o jie n in g s do n o t r e a c h ab o v e th e
p o in t o f th e o p e rc u lum , a n d c u rv e a little forwa rds a s th ey
d e s c e n d to th e is thm u s . T h e g ill-m em b ra n e s a re u n ite d
to e a ch o th e r b e n e a th , a n d a re su p p o r te d o n e a c h s id e by
s ix cy lin d ric a l, s lig h tly c u rv ed rays.
T h e sc a le s o f th e b o d y , e llip tic a l o r ov a l, a rc firm ly im b
e d d e d in th e sk in , a n d jivesent a ro u n d ish d isk w h en in
s ilu . T h e r e a re a b o u t 200 in a lo n g itu d in a l row , a n d b e twe
en 40 a n d 5 0 in h e ig h t. T h e i r s tru c tu r e is c y c lo id .
T h e la te r a l lin e ru n s b a c kw a rd s to b e n e a th th e te n th
d o rs a l ra y , wh e re i t le n n in a le s .* I t is com p o s e d o f a
t r a n s p a r e n t, sm a ll e lev a tio n o r tu b e o n e a c h s c a le .
T h e a n u s te rm in a te s th e firs t th ird o f th e le n g th o f th e
fish.
R a y s :— B r . 6 ; P . 1 0 ; D. 7 1 ; C. IO; A. 60. A ll th e
ra y s a re a r tic u la te d . I n th e s p e c im e n d e s c rib e d in th e
‘ A n n a ls o f N a tu r a l H i s to r y ’ th e c a u d a l r a y s were more
re a d ily d is tin g u ish e d , ow in g to th e ir sh o r tn e s s a n d s len -
deiTiess, from th e a n a l a n d d o rs a l, th a n in th e sp e c im en
now b e ib r e m e , a n d e a c h o f th e s e fin s h a d a r a y fewer,
b u t th e r e a re n o o th e r c h a r a c te r s w h ic h le a d me to s u p p
o s e th a t th e y a re d is tin c t sp e c ie s . E a c h v e rtic a l r a y h a s
a sm a ll fille t o f s c a le s in fro n t, r e a c h in g a b o u t h a lf-w ay
u p . S om e o f th e a n te r io r ra y s o f th e d o rs a l a n d a n a l a re
s im p le , th o u g h jo in te d , a n d a il th e r e s t a re d iv id e d a t th e
tip s o n c e or tw ic e .
T h e in te s tin a l c a n a l, a b o u t fo u r in c h e s lo n g , is a s im p le
tu b e , w ith a s in g le flex u re . I t s u p p e r h a lf is w id e r a n d
m o re p la ite d a n d w r in k le d in te rio rly ; th e u n d e r h a l f b e -
b e c o ra e s g r a d u a lly m o re s le n d e r a n d a lso m o re d e lic a te in
i ts co a ls. T h e r e a re n o cæ c a a u d n o a ir -b la d d e r . T lic
liv e r o f th e sp e c im e n w h ic h w a s o p e n e d h a d p e r ish e d .
I ts stom a ch c o n ta in e d fra gm e n ts o f a sm a ll, s c a ly fish ,
n e a r ly d ig e s te d .
L e n g th 11 in c h e s . T o a n u s 3-4 in c h . T o g ill-o p e n in g
T 4 in c h . T o o c c ip u t I T in c h . H e ig h t o f b o d y I T in c h .
T h e d r ie d sp e c im e n fig u red in th e ‘ A im a ls o f N a t. H is to ry ’
m e a su r e d n e a rly 14 in c h e s . I t w a s c a u g h t a t P o r t E s s in g to
n , w h e re i t is k n ow n to th e a b o r ig in e s b y th e n am e o f
“ A m b e e tu n b e e t.”
H ab. W e s te rn a n d n o rth e rn c o a s ts o f A u s tra lia .
0-XYBELEs. R ic h a rd s o n .
Two e x am p le s o f a n o v e l g e n e ric form o f fish e x is t in
S ir .fam e s R o s s ’s c o lle c tio n . T h e p la c e o f th e ir c a p tu r e
was n o t r e c o rd e d , b u t ju d g in g from th e sp e c ie s a s so c ia te d
w ith th em in th e same ja r , th e y w o u ld a p p e a r to h a v e b e e n
o b ta in e d o n th e c o a s t o f T a sm a n ia o r o f th e m o re s o u th e rn
is la n d s . T h e C o lleg e o f S u rg e o n s re c e iv e d from S ir E v c -
r a rd H om e , B a r t., a th ird in d iv id u a l o f th e g en u s . I t
w a s v om ited b y a H o lo tliu r ia th a t was d r e d g e d ii]) a t C o p
a n g , in th e is la n d o f T im o r . T b e following is a sum m a ry
o f th e g e n e ra l fe a tu re s o f th e g eu u s :—
P is c is a p c d u s , s q u am is carens.
C o rp u s com p re ssum , p u g io n fo rm e , c a u d d a c u tis s im d .
C u tis p o lilu s a u ro a rg en to q n e h ie i llic r e n ite n s .
K n u s g u la r is . O c u lu s m a ju s c u lu s .
R ic tu s o ris s a tis am p in s p o n e o c u lum f i s s u s , ie rm in a h s ,
e x in le rm a .v illis m a x i lld q u e in fe r io r i c o n s lru c lu s .
D e n te s in ie rm a .v illa r um , m a x i l la in fe r io r is ossium q u e
p a la i i acerosi, c o n fe r ti; n o n n u lli c a n in i. D e n te s vom e r
is majore s. L in g u a Iccvis.
* III the p late th e lin e h a s been im u b crlently indicated all the way
down the side of the fish.