M em b ra n a b r a n c h io s te g a a p e r tu r a m a m p /am iegens,
r a d iis s e p tem s u s te n ta ta .
P in n æ r e n t r i s c a n d ie r e n u l la . P in n æ d o r s i a n iq u e iu
a p ic em a c u iis s im am c a u dw c o a lita , r a d i i s te n u is s im is , s e ta
c e is ,J ie .v iU b u s su s te n ia tie .
O p e rc u lum o s s e um s te lla tim t r ip a r l i tu m , u n o ram o
c r e d o , a lte r o d e s c e n d e n ii, te r tio p o s tic o , lo n g io r i, su b u la to ,
su b sp in o so , in p is c e r e c e n ti c é la lo . Cr&mum fo n i i c a iu m ,
h e r e , s in e c a r in is v e l c r is tis . A 'e rteh ræ c ir c itè r c e n tum ,
q u a r u m n o c em d e c im a b d om in a le s .
4 e n lr ic u lu s m a g n u s , coe ca tu s . In te s tim m i b is p r o p è
iv so p h a g um J i e x u in c a c ts p g lo r ic is n u llis . A'e sicula
a ë r is am p ia , lo n g é p o s t a n u m e .v ten sa .
O x y b e l e s h o m e i . R ic h a rd so n .
P la t e X L IV ., fig. 7— 18.
R a d i i B r . 7 ; D . e t A. n o n n u m e r a n d . P . 1 9 ; C . 0.
T h e sp e c if ic n am e is in te n d e d a s a tr ib u te o f a c k n ow le
d g em e n t to th e z e a l o f S ir E v e r a rd H om e in c o lle c tin g
o b je c ts o f N a tu ra l H is to ry ou th e c o a s ts o f C h in a a n d
A u s tra lia . W h e n th e sp e c im e n s w e re cu rso rily e x am in e d
b e fo re th e y w e re p la c e d in th e a r tis t’s h a n d s to b e d raw n ,
th e y a p p e a r e d to r e p r e s e n t two sp e c ie s , d iffe rin g in th e
re la tiv e th ic k n e s s o f th e b o d y , a n d in th e c om m e n c em e n t
o f th e d o rs a l fiu, b u t o n a m o re c a re fu l in sp e c tio n a f te r d u e
m a c e r a tio n in w a te r, th e c h a r a c te r s o f a ll th re e e x am p le s
p ro v e d to b e n e a r ly id e n tic a l, th e d is s im ila r ity h a v in g b e e n
c a u s e d b y tw o o f th em b e in g p la c e d in s tro n g sp irits ,
w h e r e b y th e y h a d b e c om e sh riv e lle d , a n d a fo ld o f sk in
b e tw e e n th e sh o u ld e rs m a d e to lo o k lik e a forwa rd p ro lo n g
a tio n o f th e d o rs a l fiu. T h i s is m e n tio n e d to a c c o u n t
fo r two fig u re s o f th e s am e sp e c ie s .
B o d y s tile tto - s h a p e d , ta p e r in g , a n d b e c om in g th in n e r
g r a d u a lly from th e h e a d to th e a c u te p o in t o f th e ta il.
S n o u t ro u n d e d o b tu s e ly ; th e p ro file from th e e y e to th e
s h o u ld e r s lig h tly c o n v e x . H e a d th ic k e r th a n th e b o d y ,
fo rm in g o n e -s e v e n th o f th e to ta l le n g th o f th e fish. M o u th
te rm in a l, c le ft b e y o n d th e e y e , u n d e r jaw a little lo n g e r
th a n th e u p p e r o ne . U p p e r h a l f o f th e m a rg in o f th e
m o u th form ed b y th e lo n g , s le n d e r, n o n -p ro lra c lile in -
te i-m ax illa rie s. T h e m a x illa ry is a lso s le n d e r, b u t d ila
te s g r a d u a lly tow a rd s its tip , w h ic h p a s s e s b e h in d
th e c om e r o f ih e m o u th . T h e te e th a re m in u te , a n d a re
n o t re a d ily s e e n w ith o u t tb e a id o f a g o o d ey e -g la s s . T h e y
a re in d iv id u a lly s u b u la te , s lig h tly re c u rv e d , a n d ra n g e d in
le v e l, v illifo n n b a n d s o n th e in te rm a x illa r ie s , lo w e r jaw a n d
ed g e s o f th e p a la te -b o n e s ; th e d e n ta l su rfa c e s b e in g n a r row
e r o n th e u p p e r jaw , th a n o n th e u n d e r o ne o r p a la te ,
w h e re th e y s ta n d in fo u r o r five row s . N e a r th e sym p h y s
is o n b o th jaw s a few o f th e te e th a re h ig h e r , a n d tw o or
th r e e o f th e a n te r io r la te r a l o n e s in th e low e r j aw a re ta ll
e n o u g h to m e r it th e a p p e lla tio n o f c a n in e s . T h e c o u ic a l
k n o b o f th e v om e r p ro je c ts c o n s id e r a b ly , a n d is a rm e d b y
a c om p a ra tiv e ly s to u t c e n tra l to o th , w ith a r in g o f sm a lle r
o n e s su rro u n d in g i t s b a s e . T o n g u e r a th e r co n ic a l, sm ooth
a n d ro u n d e d . N o s tr ils , two orific e s w ith tum id lip s p ie r c
in g a so ft m em b r a n e w h ic h o c c u p ie s m u c h o f th e sp a c e
b e tw e e n th e e y e a n d tlie o b tu s e e n d o f th e sn o u t. T h r e e
p o r e s s ta n d in a tra n sv e rs e row b e tw o o n th e fore p a r ts of
th e o rb its . P r e o p e r c u lum m a rk e d b y a gro o v e , w liich
c ro s s e s th e to p o f tho h e a d , a n d is th e r e p e r fo r a te d by
th r e e p o re s . C ra iiiu iu roumUnl sm o o th ly o ff o n th e sides.
G ill-c o v e r very p o ro u s , w ith a n a c u te , soft tip , e x te n d in g
b e y o n d th e su b u la te lip o f th e tr ip a r tite b o n y o p e rcu lum .
E y e la te r a l, p r e tty la rg e , b r ig h t a u d s ilve ry. T h e g ill-
o p e n in g e x te n d in g b e n e a tii a s fa r forwa rd a s th e p r e o p e r c
u lum . T h e s n o u t, o p e rc u lum a n d c h e e k a re m in u te ly
p o ro u s .
L a te r a l lin e a c o n tin u o u s r id g e s ta n d in g in a furrow,
e x t e n d in g from th e tem p o ra l g roove to th e tip o f th e ta il,
a n d ru n n in g n e a r e r to th e b a c k th a n to th e b e lly . S k in o f
th e b o d y q u ite sm o o th . A n u s s itu a te d b e fo re th e p e c to ra l
tin , u n d e r th e u p p e r a n g le o f th e g ill-o p en in g . A n a c u te
s e am o r rid g e ru n s fo rw a rd s from i t in to th e is thm u s b e tw
e e n th e gills. M . A g a s s iz , to whom I show ed th e sp e c
im en s , in fo rm e d m e th a t th is was a n in d ic a tio n o f th e
in d iv id u a l’s b e in g y o u n g . P e c to r a ls naiTow a n d p o in te d ,
h a v in g a le n g th e q u a l to a b o u t o n e - te n th o f th e whole fish.
T h e a n a l is w id e r th a n th e d o rs a l, b u t b o th a re ve ry low,
a u d th e ray s c a n n o t b e v e ry e a s ily c o u n te d , ow in g to th e
th ic k n e s s o f th e in te g um e n t a n d th e d iiR c u lty o f k e e p in g
th e fins e x te n d e d . T h e fin s m e e t iu a n a c u te p o in t a t
th e tip o f th e ta il, b u t wh en th e y a re e x am in e d th ro u g h a
go o d le n s i t m a y be s e e n th a t n o r a y s em a n a te from th e
a p e x o f th e ta il, th o s e o f th e d o rs a l a n d a n a l c o n v e rg in g
b e y o n d it, a n d le a v in g a m in u te , tr ia n g u la r m em b ra n e b e tw
e e n . T h e r a y s a re u n b r a n c h e d , t a p e r in g a n d flexible ,
with lo n g jo in t s tow a rd s th e ir lip s , w h ich c a n b e p e rc e iv e d
o n ly u n d e r a c o n s id e ra b le m a g n ify in g p ow e r, a n d llie n
e a c h ray a p p e a r s to h a v e a m id r ib w ith a th in a n te r io r a n d
p o s te r io r ed g e . T h e a n te r io r ra y s a re n o t a p p a r e n tly diffe
r e n t from th e o th e rs , b u t I h a v e b e e n u n a b le to a s c e rta in
c le a rly w h e th e r th e jo in t s a re n o t q u ite o b so le te in th e ray s
o f th e fore p a r t o f th e d o rs a l. T h e d o rs a l b e g in s a t le s s
th a n a q u a r te r o f th e le n g th o f th e fish from th e e n d o f th e
s n o u t ; th e a n a l c om m en c e s c lo s e to th e a n u s , a n d is c o n s
e q u e n tly lo n g e r th a n th e d o rs a l.
I d is s e c te d o ne o f S ir J am e s R o s s ’s sp e c im e n s , b u t th e
iu te s lin e s w e re n o t in a very goo d c o n d itio n for e x am in a tio
n . T h e liv e r h a d p e rish e d . T h e p e rito n e um is th ic k ,
to u g h , a n d o f a s h in in g , s ilv e ry h u e , with b la c k , s ta r-lik e
sp e c k s . OE s o p h a g u s th in a n d m em b ra n o u s . S tom a c h a
la rg e , c o n ic a l, cæ c a l sa c k , lo n g itu d in a lly p la ite d w ith in ,
with th e pyloi-us n e a r th e oe so p h a g u s , le a v in g m o s t o f th e
v is c u s b e n e a th . In te s tin e d e lic a te , fo rm in g tw o d e e p loops.
N o p y lo ric cæ c a were d e te c te d . A ro u n d ish a n d r a th e r
la rg e sp le e n is a t ta c h e d to th e p o s te r io r tip o f th e stom a ch ,
a n d lie s d o rs a d o f th e r em a in s o f th e liv e r. I n th is in d iv id
u a l th e a ir -b la d d e r a p p e a r e d to b e a lo n g tu b e , w ith a lte rn
a te d ila ta tio n s a n d c o n tr a c tio n s , b u t in a n o th e r sp e c im en ,
wliich is som ew h a t d ia p h a n o u s , a w id e r a ir -b la d d e r c a n be
s e e n ru n n in g a g ood way b e h in d th e am is w ith o u t a n y v is ib
le c o n tra c tio n s . T h e v e rte b ræ am o u n t to 99, o f w h ic h 19
h a v e two in fe rio r d iv e rg e n t p ro c e s s e s , a ffo rd in g sp a c e
for th e v is c e ra . T h e o th e rs h av e a s in g le in fe rio r a n d su p
e rio r p ro c e s s , w h o s e tip s a re m u c h c om p re s s ed a n d ve ry
th in .
L e n g th o f th e fish 4 ^ in c h e s . L e n g th o f h e a d Q-OSinch.
D is ta n c e b e tw e e n th e tip o f th e s n o u t a n d th e a n u s 0 '5 9 .
D is ta n c e be tw e en th e tip o f th e s n o u t a n d b e g in n in g o f
do rsa l 1 0 5 in c h .
I I ab. S e a s o f A u s tr a lia ? a n d T im o r.
G a la x ia s -ntUTTACEUS. Cuvie r.
Galaxias trutlaceus, Cuv. R è g n e An. ii. p. 283. Cuv. c l Val. Hist,
des Poiss. xviii. p, 344, “ t. 5 43.”
R a d i i :— B. 9 ; D . 1 1 ; A. 1 5 ; C . l O f ; P . 1 4 ; V. 7.
P la te X L I I ., figs. 1— G.
S inc e th e p la te s fo r th e p r e s e n t fa s c ic u lu s were p r in te d ,,
th e X V I I I th v o lum e o f tb e H i s to i r e PotssoHS h a s a p p
e a re d , c o n ta in in g a fu ll d e s c r ip tio n o f th is s p e c ie s , a n d
re n d e rin g a d e ta ile d a c c o u n t o f o u r sp e c im e n s u n n e c e s s a ry .
W e h av e re c e iv e d th is fish o n ly from V a n D iem e n ’s L a n d ,
wh e re i t a p p e a rs to a b o u n d . T h e in d iv id u a l fig u re d in
p la te x lii. w a s ta k e n in th e D e rw e n t R iv e r.
T h e b o d y is f la tte n e d a b o v e , e sp e c ia lly n e a r th e n a p e
an d on th e side s, th e v /id th th in n in g oil' g i'ad u a lly to th e
ta il, which is m u c h c om p re s s e d . T h e h e ig h t o f th e b o d y
is co n ta in e d s ix tim e s a n d a h a lf in th e le n g th , a n d th e
th ic k n e s s a t th e sh o u ld e r is e q u a l to fo u r-fifth s o f th e
he ig h t. T h e h e a d fo rm s j u s t a fifth o f th e wh o le le n g th o f
th e fish.
T h e g ap e o f th e m o u th e x te n d s b a c kw a rd s to b e n e a th
th e an te rio r q u a r te r o f th e ey e . T w o - th ird s o f its u p p e r
b o rd e r is form ed b y th e p r em a x illa r ie s * w h ic h b e a r a c ic u la
r te e th in one se rie s, th e ta lle s t b e in g a t th e b e g in n in g o f
th e p o s te rio r th ird o f th e b o n e , o r w h e re i t cu rv e s from th e
tran sv e rs e to th e lo n g itu d in a l d ire c tio n . T h e m a x illa ry
which com p le te s th e u p p e r b o rd e r o f tb e m o u th is w ith o u t
te e lh . E a c h limb o f th e m a n d ib le is a rm e d b y a b o u t 12
te e th in o n e ro iv , th e p a ir n e x t th e sym p h y s is a n d th o s e
n e a r th e m id d le o f th e b o n e b e in g r a th e r th e ta lle s t. T h e
p a la tin e te e th a re m ore s u b u la te , a c u te a n d r e c u rv e d , a n d
are r a n g e d in a s in g le s tr a ig h t row o f sev en o n e a c h b o n e ,
th e rows r e c e d in g s lig h tly from e a c h o th e r a s th e y ru n
b a ckw a rd s. T h e to n g u e is a rm e d b y s till s tro n g e r a n d
more r e c u rv e d te e th s e t ro u n d its ed g e in a s em i-e llip tic a l
curve , th e fo rem o st to o th b e in g th e s to u te s t, th e o th e r s d im
in ish in g g ra d u a lly a s th e y ru n b a c kw a rd s . T h e r e are
five o u e a ch s ide o f th e to n g u e e x c lu s iv e o f th e f ro n t o ne .
T h e b ra n c h ia l a rc h e s a re e a c h a rm ed w ith two rows o f d e lic
a te , su b u la te , a c u te te e th .
_ T h e do rsa l is a s h ig h b u t sh o r te r th a n th e a n a l, a n d b e g
in s be fore th a t fin, a n d c o n s e q u e n tly e n d s b e fo re it. T h e
c au d a l is a l ittle h o llow e d a t th e e n d , a n d a t its b a s e
above a n d be low th e r e is a n a c u te , m em b ra n o u s e d g e ,
su p p o r te d b y sh o rt rays.
G e n e ra l t in t o f th e b e s t p r e s e rv e d sp e c im e n s in sp irits
a d e lic a te w o o d -b row n , a p p ro a c h in g to y e llow is h g ray ,
* Professor Owen’s nomenclature of tlie bones is adopted in tie following
pages.
p a le r o n th e v e n tra l su rfa c e , with s c a tte r e d , m in u te , b la c k
d o ts , a n d a b o u t s e v e n te e n v e rtic a l row s o f d a rk - c y e d s p o ts ,
th e s iz e o f a p in ’s h e a d . T lie s e row s b e n d en ch e v ro n in
th e m id d le o f th e s id e s , a n d th e th r e e rows o n th e sh o u ld
e r a re r e p la c e d b y b a rs . A s c rie s o f fa in t, sh o rt, o b liq u e
b a r s is a lso fo rm ed o n th e b e lly a n d flan k s b y c lu s te r s o f
tlie fin e r p o in ts . T h e sn o u t is b la c k ish ; th e r e i s a n o b liq u e
b a r on th e c h e e k a n d a ro u n d ish m a rk on th e o p e rc u lum .
T h e e n d s o f th e d o r s a l, a n a l a n d v e n tr a ls a re blacki.sh.
Tlio, sk in g e n e ra lly is sm o o th a n d p o lish e d , a n d th e
m u s c le s show le s s d is tin c tly o u th e flan k s th a n in o th e r
sp e c ie s . T h e very o ily flesh o f th is fish sp o ils r a p id ly ,
a n d m o s t o f th e sp e c im en s we h a v e seen a re so ft, a n d o f a
d a rk p u rp lis h r e d co lo u r. T h e in d iv id u a ls we h a v e r e c
e iv ed from th e D e rw e n t R iv e r a re p a le r th a n th o s e w h ich
h a v e b e e n s e n t to u s from I ’o r t A rth u r. M r. L em p r iè r e
d e s c rib e s th e la tte r a s h a v in g , w h en re c e n t, “ a d a rk olive
c o lo u r, with re d s p o ts , b u t som e o f a d a rk e r c o lo u r w ill
w e ig h n in e o u n c e s , a n d a re e x c e lle n t fo r th e ta b le .”
L e n g th o f o u r sp e c im e n s a b o u t 4 in ch e s .
H a b . F r e s h w a te r s o f V a n D iem e n ’s L a n d . I t is
n am e d lo c a lly “ th e tro u t.”
G a l a x ia s m a c u l a t u s . J e n y n s {Me site s).
Mesites maculatus, .Jenjms, Zool. of Beagle, p. 119, PI. 22, fig. 4.
Galaxias truttaceus. Règ n e An. edit. Crochard, P I. 9 7 , fig. 2.
Galaxias maculatus, Cuv. c t Val. xviii. p. 355.
R a d i i :— D . 1 1 ; A. 14 a d 1 6 ; C. 1 6 ^ ; P . 11 a d 1 3 ;
V. 7 (3 sp e c im en s ).
P la te X L I I I . , figs. 1 4 - 1 7 .
T h is s p e c ie s is rem a rk a b le fo r th e sm a lln e s s o f its
m o u th , i t s s h o r t ro u n d p e c to r a ls , tw ic e th e i r own len g th
d i s ta n t from th e v e n tra ls , a n d for b e in g c o n s id e r a b ly le s s
fla t o r m o re ro u n d e d on th e b a c k th a n tr u tta c e u s , b roc chus
o r r e tic u la tu s . I t is a s le n d e r fish w h en n o t d is te n d e d
with roe , b u t its s h a p e a lte r s tow a rd s th e sp aw n in g se a so n .
T h e e n d o f its in te s tin a l c a n a l p ro tm d e s from b e iw e e n th e
e d g e s o f a fissu re in th e b e lly , sh ow n b y th e d iffe re n t t e x tu
re o f th e p a n s , fo r th e su rfa c e is c o n tin u o u s ; a sm a ll
o p e n in g su c c e e d s it, to w h ic h , j u s t b e fo re th e a n a l fin, th e
e n d o f th e g u t a c ts a s a v a lv e , c lo s in g i t w h e n th e ta il is
d e p re s s e d .
T h e g e n e ra l c o lo u r in s p ir its is p a le y e llow ish o r w o o d -
b row n , w ith m a n y o b lo n g a n d ir r e g u la r s p o ts fo rm e d b y
c ln s le rs o f sm a ll p u rp le d o ts , s c a tte r e d ov e r th e b a c k a u d
sid e s. T h e to p o f th e b a c k is a lso g e n e ra lly sp rin k le d
w ith th e s e d o ts , a n d o u th e s id e s th e g ro u n d c o lo u r is
p ow d e re d w ith d o ts so m in u te a s to b e to ta lly in v is ib le to
th e u n a s s is te d ey e . T h e u n d e r su rfa c e is s p o tle s s , a n d
h a s ve ry few d o ts . T h e h e a d fo n n s th e s e v e n th o f th e to ta l
le n g th in tw o sp e c im en s , a n d is p ro p o r tio n a lly a little
lo n g e r in tlie th ird . A n a l la rg e r th a n th e d o rs a l. T e e th
a s r e p r e s e n te d in fig u re s 16 a n d 17. In o ne sp e c im e n th e
an te rio r p a ir o n th e to n g u e a re sm a lle r th a n tlie n e x t p a ir.
T h e row s o f p a la tin e te e lh a re n e a r ly s tr a ig h t a n d p a ra lle l.
L e n g th from 3 ^ to 4:^- in c h e s .
H a b . T h e F a lk la n d s . P a ta g o n ia .
o 2