m
I
G a u x ia s s c k ib a . V u lo n c ie n n e s .
Galaxias scriba, Cuv. et Vid. Hist, fies Puiss. xviii. p. 347.
R .v d i i :— D . 1 1 ; A. 1 7 ; C. IG J - ; P . 1 2 ; V. 7.
A so lita ry sp e c im e n from th e D e rw e n t R iv e r s e em s to
p o s s e s s th e c h a r a c te r s a s c r ib e d to s c r ib a in th e ‘H is to ir e
d e s P o is so n s : I t h a s tlie m o s t e lo n g a te d form o f a n y s p e c
ie s we h a v e s e en , i t s h e ig h t b e in g c o n ta in e d n in e tim e s
a n d a h a l l in u s to ta l le n g th . T h e b o d y is ro u n d e d on
th e s id e s a s in m a c u la tu s , b u t is fla tte r o n th e b a c h , a u d
th e d o rs a l g ro o v e is o c c u p ie d b y tw o ro u n d e d r id g e s o r
lo k ls , w h ic h re a c h from th e o c c ip u t to th e d o rs a l fin. T h e
m e s ia l g ro o v e o u th e b e lly is a lso m o re d is tin c lly se en ,
b u t a m e s ia l v e n tr a l lin e is m a rk e d o u t in a ll th e sp e c ie s ,
e ith e r b y th e g r e a te r th in n e s s a u d tr a n sp a r e n c y o f th e in te
g um e n ts , a fin e fu rrow , o r, a s in t r u tta c e u s , b y a se rie s
o f m in u te , d a rk d o ts . T h e h e a d is s im ila r in form to tlia t
o f m a c u la tu s , a n d fo rm s le s s th a n a s ix th o f th e whole
le n g th , c a u d a l in c lu d e d . T h e m o u th is s c a rc e ly so sm a ll
a s th a t o f llie sp e c ie s ju s t n am e d , a n d is c o n s e q u e n tly s till
la rg e r th a n th e m o u th o f a tte n u a tu s . T h e te e th a re s im il
a r to th o s e o f m a c u la tu s , b u t th e lin g u a l o n e s a re le s s
s to u t m p ro p o r tio n to th e s iz e o f th e fish. E y e r a th e r
la rg e .
T h e d o rs a l a n d a n a l com m en c e o p p o s ite to e a c h o th e r ,
b u t th e l a tte r b e in g la rg e r , th o u g h n o t h ig h e r , e x te n d s
tu r th e r b a c k ; th e c a u d a l fin is fo rk ed a t th e end.
C o lo u r a p a le y e llow ish gra j-, p ow d e re d o n th e b a c k
an d s id e s with m in u te p u rp lis h d o ts , w h ich a re in d iv id u a
lly im p e r c e p tib le to th e n a k e d eye. T ow a rd s th e ta il,
c lu s te r s o f th e s am e m in u te d o ts p ro d u c e m a n y fa in t,
ro u n d is h sp o ts ab o v e th e la te r a l lin e . O n th e to p o f th e
b a c k tlie re a re tw o o r th r e e g ro u p s o f s p o ts l a rg e en o u g h
to b e v is ib le to th e n a k e d ey e , b u t n o t c row d e d so a s to
p ro d u c e a n y d e fin ite sp o ts . O n th e s id e s th e r e a re sev e ra
l a rb o re s c e n t lin e s o f a p u rp lis h p igm e n t, re s em b lin g
fin e v e sse ls filled w ith d a rk v en o u s b lo o d , which, fo r th e
m o s t p a r t , b u t n o t a lw a y s , is su e from th e la te r a l lin e , a n d
fo llow th e in te r s tic e s o f th e m u s c u la r fa sc icu li. T h e u n d e r
s u rfa c e a n d th e v e n tra ls a re p a le o r fie sh -co lo u red , w ith o u t
m a rk in g s , a n d th e v e rtic a l fin s a re gi-ayish, tra c e s o f a
d a rk e r b lo tc h e x is tin g o n th e b a s e o f th e c a u d a l. T h e
to p o f th e b e a d a n d sn o u t a re da rk . T h e o b liq u e m u s c le s
o f tlie s id e s show s tro n g ly th ro u g h th e sk in . L e n g th 64
in c h e s .
H a b . D e rw e n t R iv e r, V a n D iem e n ’s L a n d . P o r t J a c k so
n , A u s tra lia .
G a l a x ia s b r o c c h u s . R ic h a rd so n .
R a d i i :— D . 11 ; A. 1 4 ; C. 1 6 | ; P . 1 3 ; V. 7 .
P la te X L I I I ., figs. 8— 1.3.
H e ig h t o f th e b o d y e q u a l to a b o u t o n e - s ix th o f th e
le n g th , c a u d a l in c lu d e d , a n d th e th ic k n e s s to a b o u t th e
s ev e n th . T h e b a c k is w id e , w ith a n o b tu s e furrow, w h ich
e x te n d s b a c kw a rd s to th e d o rs a l, g r a d u a lly n a rrow in g with
th e d e c r e a s in g w id th . T h e h e a d fo rm s o n e -fifth o f th e
le n g th ; th e sn o u t is b ro a d a n d th e g ap o is la rg e , e x te n d -
in g to b e n e a th th e m id d le o f th e eye.
T h o jaw - te e th a rc m o s tly a c ic u la r , th e p o s te r io r o n e s on
th e prcm ax illa rie .s b e in g sm a ll, a n d o n e o r two n e a r the
sym p h y s is w ith fo u r o r five tow a rd s th o m id d le o f the
b o n e m o re su b u la te a u d r a th e r ta lle r. F o u r o r five in the
la te r a l c u rv e o f th o m a n d ib le a rc ta lle r , s u b u la te a n d re c
u rv e d , a n d th e th r e e a n te r io r jia irs o n th e to n g u e a re more
a p p ro x im a te d a n d m u c h s to u te r th a n th e p o s te r io r ones
(figs. 12, 13). T h e r e a re n in e o n ea c li s id e o f th e to ngue ,
a ll n io re o r le s s re c u rv e d . T h e p a la tin e te e th s ta n d in a
c u rv e d lin e , w h ich r e c e d e s from its fe llow p o s te rio rly (fig.
P e c to r a l fin m u c h ro u n d e d . F i r s t r a y o f th e ven tra l,
w h ic h is a lso ro u n d e d , o p p o s ite to th e m id d le p o in t b e tw
e en th e e n d o f th e sn o u t a n d b a s e o f th e m id d le c au d a l
ray s . V e rtic a l fin s ro u n d e d . A n a l d e e p e r a n d lo n g e r
th a n th e d o rs a l, c om m e n c in g o p p o s ite to its fo re -q n a rte r,
a n d e x te n d in g fa rth e r b a c k th a n i t s te rm in a tio n .
T h e sk in o f th is fish is sm o o th , a n d p e rm its th e stro n g ly -
m a rk e d m u s c u la r fa s c ic u li to b e se e n th ro u g h it. I t s c o lo
u r s a p p e a r to liav e a lte r e d in sp irits , th e g en e ra l lute o f
th e u p p e r p a r ts e sp e c ia lly b e in g a d in g y b row n , w ith some
ill-d e f in e d s p e c k s s c a tte r e d o v e r it. T h e sid e s a re ma rk ed
b v a se rie s o f sev en p a le , c om p re s s e d a n d irre g u la r rings.
T h e fin s a re o b s c u re ly s p o tte d a n d c lo u d e d , a n d th e b o r d
e rs o f th e d o rs a l a n d a n a l a n d th e whole c a u d a l a re dark.
L e n g th 8 ^ in c h e s . On ly two in d iv id u a ls e x i s t in th e
c o lle c tio n , th e sm a lle r o u e m e a su r in g 4 ^ in c h e s in len g th .
H a b . A u c k la n d I s la n d s .
G a l a x ia s r e t ic u l a t u .s. R ic h a rd so n .
R a d i i :— D . 1 2 ; A. 1 5 ; C. 1 6 | ; P . 1 3 ; V. 7.
P l a t e X L IL , figs. 7— 12.
T h i s s p e c ie s h a s m u ch re s em b la n c e to brocchus, b e in g
v e ry s im ila r in its g e n e ra l form a n d in its d e n titio n . I t s
sn o u t, h ow e v e r, is m o re ro u n d e d , a n d its h e a d p ro p o r tio n a
lly , som ew h a t la rg e r. T h e p e c to r a l fin is a lso sh o rte r,
a n d th e g a p e o f th e m o u th a v e ry little sm a lle r.
T h r e e o r fo u r o f th e la te r a l p rem a x illa ry te e th a re more
p e rc e p tib ly t a lle r th a n th e r e s t, w h ile th o s e in th e c o rre sp
o n d in g p a r t o f th e lo w e r jaw a re le s s s to u t a n d ta ll th a n
in th e broc chus. T h e p a la tin e te e lh a re s im ila rly a rr
a n g e d , a s a re a lso th e te e th o n th e to n g u e , b u t th e p a s sa
g e is m o re g r a d u a l in siz e from th e a n te r io r to th e
p o s le n o r o n e s . T h e v e r tic a l fins a re s c a rc e ly so m uch
ro u n d e d a s in broc chus, b u t a re s im ila r in p o s itio n a n d re la
tiv e e x te n t. T h e y a re p a le r , a n d w ith th e v e n tra ls , are
co v e red w ith m o re n um e ro u s , sm a lle r a n d b e tte r de fined
sp e ck s . T h e u p p e r p a r ts a n d s id e s o f th e fish a re b la c k ish
g re en , r e tic u la te d b y w h ite lin e s , th e m e sh e s an te rio rly
b e in g o b lo n g a n d h ig h , a n d m o re w id e a n d a n g u la r p o s te rio
rly . A b lu e m a rk c ro s s e s th e lowe r jia r t o f th e sh o u ld
e r to th e a x illa o f th e p e c to r a l fin, w h ic h is n o t p e r c e p tib
le in b roc chus, h a t a s im ila r m a rk e x is ts in fa s c ia tu s .
T h e wh o le sk in is ro u g h w ith in n um e r a b le sm a ll, p o u tin g
p o re s , in w h ich i t d iffe rs from broc chus. I h e sp e c im e n
figured r a th e r e x c e e d s s ix in c h e s in le n g th , b u t th e r e a re
o th e rs som ew h a t la rg e r , a n d o n e o n ly a b o u t h a l f th e siz e .
H a b . A u c k la n d I s la n d s .
G a l a x ia s f a s c ia t u s . G ra y .
Galaxias fascialus, Gvav, Dieffenbacli’s New Zealand, Append, p.
219. All. 1842. Cuv. et Val. xviii. p. 350. An. 1846.
T h is sp e c ie s w a s d e s c r ib e d b rie fly b y M r. G r a y , in th e
work above q u o te d , a n d su b s e q u e n tly in th e ‘H is to ir e des
P oissons,' fo rtu n a te ly u n d e r th e sam e sp e c ific d e s ig n a tio n ,
th o u g h M. V a le n c ie n n e s d o e s n o t s e em to h a v e b e e n a t all
aware o f M r. G r a y 's p r io r n o tic e o f th e sp e c ie s .
H a b . R iv e r T h am e s . B a y o f I s la n d s .
G a l a x ia s a l e p id o t u s . F o r s te r [E so x ).
Esox alepidotus, J . R. Forster, MSS. 11, 62, apud Bl. Schn. p.
395, An. 1801 ; Dcscript. Anim. cura Liclitenst. p. 142, An. 1844 ; C.
Forster, fig. plot. 2, t. 235 in Bib. Banks. ^ v
Galaxias alepidotus, Cuv. R eg. An. 2, p. 283 ; Richardson, Dieffenb.
New Zealand, App. p. 219, An. 1842.
Galaxias forsteri, Cuv. et Val. xviii. p. 351, 1847.
T h is fish b e in g a n in h a b ita n t o f D u sk y B a y , in th e
so u th e rn p a r t o f N ew Z e a la n d , w h ic h is s e ld om v is ited ,
doe s n o t a p p e a r to h a v e b e e n b ro u g h t to E u ro p e s in c e
F o rs te r’s time. T h e fig u re r e p r e s e n ts a fish h a v in g th e
g ene ra l form o f G. r e tic u la tu s , b u t d iffe rin g in its m a rk ings.
T h e g ro u n d l in t o f th e d r aw in g is g re e n ish b la c k ,
w ith waved sp o ts o f v a rio u s s iz e s , n o n e o f th em la rg e .
T h e y a re m o s t n um e ro u s , ro u n d e r a n d sm a lle r o n th e ta il ;
co n g reg a ted , lu n a te a n d ir r e g u la r o n th e flan k s ; ro u n d e r
ag a in on th e sh o u ld e r, a n d o n e o f th em o v e r th e p e c to ra l
forms a rin g , w ith a s p o t in th e c e n tre . A few sm a ll,
ro u n d sp o ts e x i s t o n th e s id e o f th e h e a d a n d b a s e o f th e
dorsa l. A ll b e n e a th th e sp o ts w h ic h d o n o t r e a c h th e
be lly is w h itish . T h e sp o ts a re y e llow a n d th e v e n tr a l
fins b la ck ish . T h e s e c o n d d o rs a l is h ig h , com m e n c e s b e fore
th e a n a l, b u t d o e s n o t r e a c h n e a r ly so fa r b a c k .
L e n g th 9 in ch e s.
H a b . D u sk y B a y , N ew Z e a la n d . N am e d “ H e - p a r a ”
b y th e n a tiv e s , a n d “ R o c k - t r o u t” b y C o o k ’s sa ilors.
A t h e r in a n ig r ic a n s . R ic h a rd so n .
R .a d h ;—B r. 6 ? ; D . 7— l l l S ; A. 1115; C. 17 ; P . 1 5;
V. 115.
P la te X L IL , figs. 13— 18.
T h is is a n e lo n g a te d sp e c ie s , th e h e ig h t o f th e b o d y ,
w h ich is g r e a te s t n e a r th e v e n tr a ls , b e in g c o n ta in e d a b o u t
e ig h t tim e s in th e to ta l le n g tli, w h ile th e th ic k n e s s c o n s id
e rab ly e x c e e d s h a l f th e h e ig h t. H e a d fo rm in g r a th e r
more th a n a s ix th o f th e to ta l le n g th , s lig h tly c o n v e x in
profile a n d a lso tran sv e rs e ly . M o u th sm a ll, th e g ap e
sc a rc e ly re a c h in g h a lf-w a y to th e ey e . J aw s eq u a l. P r e m
a x illa rie s m o d e ra te ly p ro tr a c tile , th e m a x illa ry r em a in in
g n e a r th e ed g e o f th e p r e o rb ita r , b u t in n o way c o n c
e a le d b y it. T h i s b o n e is s tr a ig h t a n d s lig h tly d ila te d
tow a rd s its low e r e n d , w h ic h p la y s o v e r th e lim b o f th e
lo w e r jaw . T h e a p p e a r a n c e o f c u rv a tu re g iv en to i t in
figure 14 is c a u s e d b y th e p ro je c tio n o f th e sn o u t o r p o s te
r io r lip a t its h e a d a n d a n e d g in g o f m em b ra n e a t \Ui tip .
I t is , h ow ev e r, r a th e r p o in te d th a n t r u n c a te d a t th e en d ,
h u t d iffe rs w id e ly in its s h a p e from th e m a x illa o f A . h e p -
se lu s . T h e s id e o f th e h e a d is d e n s e ly s c a ly u p to th e
m a rg in o f th e g ill-o p e n in g , th e s n o u t, ja w s a n d gill-m em -
b r a n c b e in g s c a le le s s . R ow s o f p o r e s ru n a lo n g th e ed g e
o f th e p r e o rb ita r , th e low e r jaw , u n d e r lim b o f th e p r e o p
e rc u lum a n d im m e d ia te ly b e n e a th th e o rb it.
T h e u p p e r a n d u n d e r jaw s a re a rm e d w ith p la te s o f
sh o rt, v illifo rm te e th , v is ib le to th e n a k e d e y e ; th e w h o le
su rfa c e o f th e to n g u e is d e n s e ly ro u g h w ith s till s h o r te r
le e lh , b u t th e ro o f o f th e m o u th is to o th le s s . I c o u ld d e te
c t o n ly five ra y s in th e g ill-m em b ra n e , b u t i t is p o s s ib le
th a t a m in u te , in te r io r o n e m a y h a v e e s c a p e d m e . T h e
p e c to r a l is a t ta c h e d a b o u t th e m id d le o f th e h e ig h t, a n d
e q u a ls a s ix th o f th e le n g th o f th e fish. T h e f ir s t d o rs a l
is sm a ll, b e in g o n ly h a lf th e h e ig h t o f th e b o d y , a n d its
la s t r a y s ta n d s a b o u t m id tv ay be tw e en th e tip o f th e sn o u t
a n d e n d o f th e c a u d a l fin. I t s first r a y is o p p o s e d to th e
v e n tra ls . T h e s e c o n d d o rs a l b e g in s a s h o r t way b e h in d
th e m id d le o f th e fish , c a u d a l in c lu d e d , a n d i t s f irs t r a y is
sh o r t a n d fle x ib le , th e o th e rs b e in g jo in te d a n d b ra n c h e d .
T h e a n a l is lo n g e r a n d d e e p e r th a n th e s e c o n d d o rs a l,
re a c h in g r a th e r f a r th e r b a c k a n d b e g in n in g b e fo re i t a n d
n o t fa r from th e a n u s b y a sh o r t, fle x ib le , s im p le r a y . T h e
v e n tra ls a re sm a ll, w ith a p o in te d , s c a ly f ille t b e iw e e n a n d
ab o v e th em . T h e y a re a t ta c h e d n o t fa r from th e com m
e n c em e n t o f th e s e c o n d th ird o f th e fish. T h e c a u d a l is
e x c a v a te d a t tb e e n d , a n d c o n s is ts o f s e v e n te e n ra y s , w ith
an a c u te , m em b ra n o u s ed g e a t th e b a s e a b o v e a n d be low,
su p p o r te d b y s ev e ra l s h o r t ray s .
T h e r e a re a b o u t e ig h ty - e ig h t s c a le s in a row, b e tw e en
th e g ill-o p e n in g a n d c a u d a l ; th e in d iv id u a l s c a le s a re v e r tic
a lly a n d o b tu s e ly o v a l, w ith a ro u n d e d lo b e fo rm in g tb e
a p e x o f th e fre e ed g e . T h e c o v e re d p a r t is m a rk e d b v
c o a rs e lin e s o f s tru c tu r e , w ith n o r a d ia tin g fu rrow s , a n d
h a v in g e n tire ed g e s.
T h e g e n e ra l c o lo u r is a sm o k y b la c k , w ith a s ilve ry
s tr ip e a lo n g th e m id d le , a n d tb e n a c r e o f th e s c a le s sh in in
g p a r tia lly th ro u g h th e b la c k e lsewhe re .
L e n g th 7 in c h e s .
H a b . T h e F a lk la n d Is la n d s .
D a ja u s f o r s t e r i .
Mugil albula, J . R. Forster, Descript. Anim. cura Lichtenst. p. 145.
Icon. pict. G. R. Forster, Bibl. Banks. No. 237.
Mugil forsteri, Cuv. et 5 al.
R .a d i i : - B . 6 ; D . 4 1 - 1 1 9 ; A. 3 |1 1 ; C. 1 4 |.
P la te X L IV ., figs. 2 0 - 2 6 .
T h is sp e c ie s is n e a r ly r e la te d to th e D a ja u s d iem e n s is ,
o f p la te 2 6 , fig u re s 1 — 5, b u t i t h a s s till le s s o f th e m a s s iv e
p ro p o r tio n s o f th e h e a d w h ich c h a r a c te r iz e a tru e M u g il,
a n d h a s m u c h o f th e g en e ra l a sp e c t o f a c lu p e o id fish. U