is m u c h ro u n d e d i u t h e o u tlin e o f t h e tip . T h e d e p re s s io n
o f t h e h e a d a u gm e n ts to th e e n d o f th e s n o u t, w h ic h h a s
v e ry li t t le v e r tic a l h e ig h t, a n d is o b tu s e t r a n s v e r s e ly : i t
n e a r ly e q u a ls th e low e r ja w in le n g th , a n d its b r e a d th
is a u gm e n te d b y th ic k s c a le le s s lip s , th a t c a n b e m ad e
to s ta n d o u t la te r a lly Hke w in g s . I n th is p o s itio n th e
b r e a d th o f a s in g le lip is e q u a l to th r e e - fo u r th s o f th e
w id th o f th e s n o u t, a u d i t g ra d u a lly n a rrow s o ff to th e
c o rn e r o f t h e m o u th , j u s t in th e sam e p ro p o r tio n th a t th e
w id th o f th e jaw in c re a s e s . T h e u n d e r j a w is fu rn ish e d
w ith a lip o f s im ila r s h a p e a n d s iz e , p ie r c e d b y rows o f
la rg e p o r e s , a n d th e s c a ly in te g um e n t, e n d in g a b ru p tly a t
th e b a s e s o f b o th lip s , p ro d u c e s a t f irs t s ig h t th e a p p e a ra n c e
o f a n e x te r io r lip , b u t th e r e is n o t a c tu a lly a d is tin c t fold
o f th e sk in th e re . T h e s h o r t tu b u la r a n te r io r n o s trils are
p la c e d o n th e m a rg in o f t h e s n o u t , j u s t w h e re th e lip jo in s
i t , a n d th e n a k e d c irc u la r orific e o f th e p o s te r io r o n e is o n
a lev e l w ith th e u p p e r m a rg in o f th e o rb it, a n d a b o u t o n e -
th i r d a s fa r b e fo re i t a s th e ey e is d is ta n t from th e a n te r io r
n o s tr il. E y e sm a ll, a n d s itu a te d o v e r th e p o s te r io r th i r d o f
th e m o u th , w h ic h is o f th e u su a l s iz e in th e A n g u i l la , b u t
sm a ll i f c om p a re d with th e C o n g r i. T h e d is ta n c e b e tw e en
th e e y e s e q u a ls th e d is ta n c e b e tw e e n th e o rb it a n d e n d o f th e
s n o u t, a n d is c o n ta in e d fo u r tim e s in th e d is ta n c e b e tw e e n
t lte e n d o f th e s n o u t a n d th e g ill-o p e n in g . T h e le n g th o f
th e g a p e is c o n ta in e d th r ic e a n d o n e h a l f in th e la s t-m e n tio
n e d d is ta n c e .
V om e rin e a n d n a s a l te e th in o n e c lu s te r , w ith o u t an y
p e r c e p tib le lin e o f s e p a r a tio n , form ing a b ru s h - lik e p la te ,
w h ic h ta p e r s to a p o in t o n th e ro o f o f th e m o u th , a n d 'd o e s
n o t e x te n d so fa r b a c k b y o n e q u a r te r a s th e p a la tin e s .
T h e in d iv id u a l te e th a re sh o r t, s le n d e r, c y lin d r ic a l a n d
s lig h tly re c u rv e d , w ith sm a ll, com p re s s ed , a c u te tips.
T h e p a la tin e b o n e s a re a rm e d w ilh a m a in se rie s o f te e th ,
r e s em b lin g th o s e o f th e com m o n c o n g e r in b e in g ch is e lsh
a p e d a n d som ew h a t o b liq u e a t th e tip s , a n d , from th e ir
u n ifo rm h e ig h t a n d c lo se a iT an g em en t, f ittin g th e se rie s for
a n in c iso r ia l fu n c tio n . O n th e in s id e o f th is row th e re is
a low e r ev en r a n g e o f m o re p o in te d te e lh , w h o s e tip s are
in c lin e d inw a rd s tow a rd s th e m e s ia l lin e . A d e e p sm o o th
fu rrow s e p a ra te s th e tw o rows. O n th e o u ts id e , c lo se to
th e ro o t o f th e m a in p a la tin e s e rie s , th e r e is a row o f
sh o r te r a c u te te e th , re s em b lin g th e n a s a l o n e s . A n te rio rly
th e s e a c u te te e th in c r e a s e in n um b e r to th r e e o r fo u r d e e p
on th e o u ts id e , a n d a lso fill u p th e fu irow be tw e en th e
p r in c ip a l row s , w h ic h th e re b e c om e s wide r, so th a t th e
fo re e n d o f th e p a la tin e b o n e s p r e s e n ts a d e n ta l su rfa c e a lto
g e th e r s im ila r to th a t o f th e u a s a l a n d vom e rin e b o n e s ;
a n d th e e n d s o f th e p a la tin e s , in s te a d o f a r tic u la tin g to th e
p o s te r io r ed g e o f th e n a s a l d isk , a s in m o s t o f th e co n g e rs ,
go fo rw a rd to th e e n d o f th e s n o u t, fla n k in g th e n a s a l b o n e ,
o n w h ich th e y h a v e a s lig h t la te r a l m o tio n , so th a t th e lin e
s e p a ra tin g th e ir d e n ta l su rfa c e s c a n b e tra c e d . T h e m a n d
ib u la r te e th a re lik e th e p a la tin e o n e s , a n d th e re a re a b o u t
n in e te e th in th e wid th o f th e d e n ta l su rfa c e n e a r th e sym p
h y s is .
T h e g ill-o p e n in g s a re r a th e r la rg e , a n d th e p e c to ra ls
sm a ll a n d ro im d e d . T h e ir le n g ih a b o u t e q u a ls th e d is ta
n c e from th o p o s te rio r ed g e o f th e o rb it to th e e n d o f th e
s n o u t ; a n d th e d o rs a l com m en c e s a t th e d is ta n c e o f th ric e
th e le n g th o f th e p e c to r a l from th e g ill-o p e n in g .
L e n g ih 3 6 in c h e s . T o a n u s 1 6 ^ in c h e s . T o g ill-o p e n in
g 4-8 in c h e s . H e ig h t o f b o d y b e h in d th e p e c to ra ls
3 in c h e s . T h ic k n e s s 2 in c h e s .
I n A n g u illa h r e v iro s lr is th e a n te r io r in te r io r p a la tin e
te e th a re r e p r e s e n te d a s fo rm in g a n o b tu s e c lu s te r o n th e
s id e o f th e v om e rin e te e lh . T h e d e n ta l p la te , th o u g h wide
a n te r io r ly in la b ro sa , d o e s n o t fo rm th e sam e lo b e -lik e
c lu s te r , a u d th e v om e rin e te e th t a p e r m o re r e g u la r ly a n d
ra p id ly to a n a c u te p o iu t.
P l .a t y c e p h .\l u s c ir r o n a s u s . R ic h a rd s o n .
R adii B . 7 ; D. 9 |— 12 ; A. 11 ; C. 9 ^ ; P . 2 0 ; V. 1|5.
P la t e L I ., figs. 7— 10.
T h e b o d y o f th is P la ty c e p h a lu s is th ic k e s t w h e re i t jo in s
th e h e a d . A t th a t p la c e its w id th e x c e e d s i t s h e ig h t b y a
fo u rth o r fifth p a r t, a n d its b a c k ro u n d s im p e r c e p tib ly
d ow n to th e b e lly , wh ich is fla t. I t t a p e r s g r a d u a lly from
th e sh o u ld e rs to th e b a s e o f th e c a u d a l fin. T h e h e a d ,
w h en th e u p p e r jaw is re tr a c te d , forms j u s t o n e - th ird o f th e
to t a l le n g ih o f th e fish, a n d i t s b r e a d th a t th e g ill-co v e rs
e x c e e d s its h e ig h t b y a th ird p a r t. V iew ed from above its
o u tlin e is s em i-e llip tic a l, th e sn o u t b e in g ro u n d e d . In
p ro file th e sn o u t is a lm o s t h o r iz o n ta l, with a n a b ru p t rise
from th e n o s trils , p ro d u c e d b y th e p rom in e n c e o f th e
o rb its , a n d a m o re g e n tle a s c e n t from th e ey e s to th e
d o rsa l. T h e u n d e r j a w is th e w id th o f i t s lip lo n g e r th a n
th e u p p e r o u e , b u t th e la tte r c an b e p ro tr a c te d so a s to
e q u a l th e m an d ib le . T h e a n te r io r n o s tr il is fu rn ish ed
w ilh a p o in te d th in m em b ra n o u s b a rb e l, a n d th e p o s te r io r
o n e h a s a low e r s em i- tu b u la r m a rg in . T h e ey e s a re oval,
a p p ro a c h in g to ro u n d , b e in g o n ly s lig h tly lo n g e r th a n th e y
a re h ig h . I n fig u re 7 th e y h a v e a m o re o b lo n g sh ap e ,
from th e ir u p p e r p a r ts b e in g s e e n in p e rsp e c tiv e . T h e ir
d iam e te r is c o n ta in e d a b o u t five lim e s a n d a h a l f in th e
le n g th o f th e h e a d , a n d th e d is ta n c e b e tw e e n th e ir o rb its
is e q u a l to h a lf a d iam e te r. T h e su p e r io r m a rg in s o f th e
o rb its a re th in , e le v a te d a n d a c u te , p ro d u c in g a s em ic ir c u la
r c a u a l b e tw e e n th e ey e s . I n th e fore p a r t o f th is c a n a l,
b e fo re th e o rb its , th e r e is a ve ry s lig h t o b tu s e m e s ia l rid g e ,
w h ic h e n tir e ly d is a p p e a r s b e tw e e n th e ey e s. T h e r e is no
v e s tig e o f a n o rb ila r b a rb e l su ch a s e x is ts in P . te n la c u la -
tiis o f R iip p e ll, from w h ic h th is s p e c ie s a lso d iffe rs in its
s h o r te r a n d m ore d e p re s s e d s n o u t a n d la rg e r eye. T h e
fo llow in g a re th e s p in e s w ith w h ic h th e h e a d is a rm ed .
T h e p re fro n la l sh ow s a sm a ll b lu n t p o in t, co v e red with in te
g um e n t o n th e o u ts id e o f th e p o s te r io r n o s tril. T h e r e is
o n e a c u te sp in o u s p o in t a t th e a n te r io r e n d o f th e o rb ita l
b o rd e r , a n d two p o s te rio rly , th e la s t o n e b e in g w h o lly b e h
in d th e o rb it, a n d r a lh e r e x te r io r to th e o n e w h ic h p r e c
e d e s i t ; a lo w r id g e le a d in g from th e la s t o rb ita r sp in e ,
in c lin in g s lig h tly to th e me sia l lin e , a n d , au gm e n tin g in
h e ig h t a s i t r u n s b a c k , e n d s in a n a c u te p o in t o n th e h in d e r
p a r t o f th e c ran ium . O n th e tem p le s th e re is a sm a ll a cu te
sp in e im m e d ia te ly b e h in d th e o rb it, a n d a s h o r t a c u te ridge
w h ic h sp r in g s from its b a s e , a n d in c lin e s a little o u tw a rd s ,
te rm in a te s in a n o th e r . T h e s u p r a - s c a p u la r fu rn ish e s o ne
small a c u te sp in e , a n d th e s u p e rio r b o n e o f th e h um e ra l
cha in fo rm s a n e le v a te d th in rid g e a t th e u p p e r b o rd e r o f
th e e ill-o p e n in g , w h ic h e n d s p o s te r io r ly in a p u n g e n t an-
ele Im m e d ia te ly p o s te r io r to th is , a t th e com m en c em en t
L t h e la te r a l lin e , th e r e a re tw o m o v e ab le p u n g e n t p o in ts ,
like spm o u s sc a le s , b e in g th e o n ly a rm a tu r e p e r c e p tib
le on th e lin e . T h e u p p e r e x tr em ity o f th e m a x illa ry
forms a sm a ll b lu n tis h p o in t a t th e e n d o f th e sn o u t on
e a ch sid e , b u t th e p r e o rb ita r a p p e a r s to b e w h o lly w ith o u t
any a n g u la r p o in ts th a t a re p e rc e p tib le th ro u g h th e in te g u -
' m ents. T h e s e c o n d s u b o rb ita r is tr a v e r s e d b y a th in , p ro m
inent, p e rfe c tly sm o o th r id g e , w h ic h a b u ts a g a in s t th e
ba se o f th e u p p e r p r e o p e r c u la r sp in e . I n th e fig u re , th e
un d e r ed g e o f t h e d isk o f t h e su b o rb ita r is a lso shown, b u t
this b e com e s v is ib le o n ly w h e n th e in te g um e n ts a re a llow ed
to sh riv e l b y d ry in g , a n d is n o t p rom in e n t. T h e p r e o p e r culum
h a s th r e e sm a ll s p in e s , o f w h ic h th e u p p e r o n e p ro je
c ts fa rth e s t b a c k , a n d th e low e s t o n e is m in u te , b u t n o n e
o f th em a re re a d ily fo u n d in th e th ic k in te g um e n t u n le s s
so u g h t for. I n th e p r e s e n c e o f th e s e sp in e s th e sp e c ie s
re semble s P . p r is tig e r o f O u o y a n d G a im a rd , b u t n o n e o f
th e b o n y r id g e s o f th e h e a d a re ro u g h , e i th e r to to u c h or
s ig h t; n e ith e r c a n a n y a n g u la r p o in ts b e d e te c te d o n th e
in te r-o p e rc u lum . T h e o p e r c u lum is ai-med b y tw o sm a ll
sp in e s, th e u p p e r o n e , w h ic h is th e m o s t p o s te rio r, te rm in
a tin g th e u p p e r ed g e o f th e b o n e . T h e fle x ib le c a r tila g inous
p o in t o f th e su b o p e r c u lum p ro je c ts fa r b e y o n d th em ,
a n d is b o rd e re d b y a th in m em b ra n e ab o v e , w h ich r e s tr ic ts
th e g ill-o p e n in g th e r e , a u d b y th e g ill-m em b ra n e b e n e a lli.
T h e h e a d is m o s tly c o v e re d w ith a sp o n g y in te g um e n t, lik e
th a t wh ich p re v a ils am o n g tb e S c o rp a n c e , a n d th e same
kin d o f c o v e rin g en v e lo p e s th e s c a le s o f th e b a c k a n d
sides, b e in g th e p a r t o n w h ic h th e b r illia n t co lo u rs o f th e
fish d e p e n d . N o n e o f th e s tr e a k s o r s c u lp tu r e s on th e
c ranium , w h ic h e x i s t iu som e P la tijc e p h a li, a re to b e seen
in th is sp e c ie s .
T h e te e th , d isp o s e d in sm o o th sh av en v illifo n n b a n d s ,
arm th e p r em a x illa r ie s , m a n d ib le a n d p a la tin e s . T h e
b an d s a re b ro a d e s t o n th e p r em a x illa r ie s , a n d v e ry n a r row
on th e p a la tin e s . T h e r e a re a lso two sm a ll ova l
p a tch e s o n th e p rom in e n t c h e v ro n o f th e v om e r, s e p a r a te d
from e a ch o th e r b y a d e e p sm o o th m e s ia l fniTow. T h e
wide, th in , s em i- c a r tila g in o u s , t r u n c a te d to n g u e is sm ooth.
T h e la te r a l liu e , wh ich ru n s p a r a lle l to th e b a c k , o n a
level with th e u p p e r p a r t o f t h e g ill-o p e n in g , is tr a c e d on
fifty -e ig h t sc a le s, a n d is k e e le d p a r tic u la r ly p o s te rio rly ,
b u t n o t s tro n g ly ev en th e r e . O n e o f th e s e sc a le s , w ith its
sh o rt tu b e s d iv e rg in g la te r a lly from th e c e n tr a l o n e , is r e p
re s e n te d a t fig u re 9 ; a n d a n o rd in a ry s c a le , w ilh its p te -
no id d isk , a t fig u re 10. T h e y a re a ll c lo th e d w ith th ic k
integ um en t.
T h e first d o rs a l sp in e s ta n d s ab o v e th e p o s te n o r lo b e ot
th e g ill-co v e r, a n d b e h in d th e a tta c hm e n t o f th e p e c to r a l ;
th e th ird d o r s a l sp in e is o p p o s ite to th e b a s e o f th e
v e n tr a ls ; a n d th e la s t sp in e is so c lo se ly tie d d ow n to th e
b a ck a s n o t to b e v e ry o b v io u s . I t re q u ire s to b e forc ib ly
ra ised to b e se en a s r e p re s e n te d in fig u re 7. T h e r e a re n o
sp in e s in th e s e c o n d d o rs a l o r ana l.
T h e p a tte rn s o f c o lo u r w h ic h a re to b e tr a c e d o n th e
s p e c im e n a fte r lo n g m a c e r a tio n in s p ir its w ill b e b e s t u n d
e rs to o d b y c o n s u ltin g th e figure . M o s t o f th e s h a d e d
p a r t s o n th e h e a d , b o d y a n d fin s a re a u ro r a - r e d : th e
c ro s s b a r s o n th e lip s , h ow e v e r, som e sp o ts o n th e m a x illa
ry , o th e rs im m e d ia te ly b e n e a th th e ey e , a few m in u te
sp e c k s o n th e to p a n d s id e s o f th e h e a d , a la rg e p a tc h on
th e g ill-m em b ra n e in c lu d in g th e u p p e r two ra y s , a n d th e
b o rd e r o f th e f irs t d o is a l, a re b row n . S om e sp o ts o n th e
u p p e r p la te o f th e c o ra c o id b o n e , o th e r s m th e axillae ot
th e p e c to r a ls a n d v e n lra ls , a n d a se rie s o f ro u n d o n e s a t
th e b a s e s o f th e r a y s o f th e f ir s t a n d s e c o n d d o r s a l, a re
b row n ish -b la c k . A la rg e s a d d le - s h a p e d p a tc h , w h ich
d e s c e n d s from th e w h o le le n g th o f th e firs t d o r s a l w e ll
down th e s id e s , is r e d , m ix e d a n d o u tlin e d w ith b la c k .
T h e b a rs o n th e ta i l h a v e a lso som e d a rk o r b la c k is h
sh a d in g s . T h e g ro u n d c o lo u r is g e n e ra lly g ray . T h e
tr a n s v e r s e lin e s o n th e c a u d a l, v e n tra ls a n d p e c to r a ls , a n d
th e o b liq u e o n e s o n th e tw o d o r s a ls a n d a n a l, a re au ro ra -
L e n g th O j in c h e s . L e n g th o f h e a d 3 in c h e s . L e n g th
from e n d o f s n o u t to a n u s 4 '6 in c h e s . H e ig h t a t s h o u ld e r
1-2 in ch .
H ab. B o ta n y B ay .
P s a m m o p e r c a . R ic h a rd s o u .
T h i s n am e h a s b e e n d e v is e d to e x p r e s s o n e o f th e c h a ra
c te r s b y w h ich a n A u s tr a lia n fish m a y b e d is tin g u ish e d
from th e o th e r P e r c id æ , n am e ly , th e g r a n u la r fo rm o f its
le e lh ; th e te rm b e in g c om p o u n d e d o f i ’actup.uSr,;, a r e n a tu s
a n d rrtpxa. T h e d e p th o f th e n o tc h b e tw e e n th e sp in o u s
a n d jo in te d p o r tio n s o f th e d o rs a l fin in d u c e s u s to com -
p a r e th is fish w ith th e “ P e r c h e s p ro p r em e n t d i t e s ” o f t h e
‘ H is to ir e d e s P o is so n s ,” b u t i t differs from P e r e a n o t o n ly
in its d e n titio n , b u t a lso in th e w an t o f a w e ll-m a rk e d p r e o
p e rc u la r d isk , in th e d o rs a ls b e in g r a th e r m o re c o n n e c te d ,
a n d in g e n e r a l a s p e c t ; from L a te s in th e a b s e n c e o f la rg e
a n g u la r te e th ou th e lowe r lim b o f th e p re o p e rc u lum , a n d
in ° th e p e r f e c tly e n tire p r e o r b i ta r ; from P e r c a - la b r a x in
its sm o o th to n g u e a n d its s o lita ry o p e r c u la r sp in e ; a n d
from th e o th e r d e s c r ib e d fo rm s o f th is g ro u p b y s till m ore
ob v io u s c h a ra c te rs . Am o n g th e P e r c o id s w ith a_ s in g le
d o r s a l, C en tro p r is te s is th e on ly g e n u s w ith wh ich i t a s s im
i la te s ; a n d in d e e d it h a s a n e q u a l c la im to b e p la c e d in
th e g en u s w ilh C e n tro p r is te s s corpenoide s, w h ich h a s a p r e o
p e r c u lum a rm e d b e n e a th w ith r e c u rv e d sp in o u s te e th ,
aifo in th a t r e s p e c t d iffe rs from th e re s t o f th e g ro u p a s
m u c h a s P le c tro p om a d o e s from S e r r a n v s . I t h a s b o e n
a lre a d y r em a rk e d , in p a g e s 27 a n d 3 0 , th a t th e a dm is s io n
o f th e s e an om a lo u s sp e c ie s am o n g th e C e n tro p r is ie s m ak e s
th e g ro u p u n n a lu r a l, a n d i t w o u ld b e b e t te r to s e p a r a te
b o th th em a n d th e A u s tra lia n C e n tro p r is te s— tr u tta c e u s ,
s a la r , g eo rq ia n u s, &c.— which h a v e th e ev en d o rs a ls a n d
g e n e ra l h a b i t o f a C a s io o r Sm a r is ,* from th e ty p ic a l m em b
e rs o f th e gen u s. O n th is a c c o u n t, th e re fo re , a n d m a c c
o rd a n c e w ith th e p r e s e n t p r a c tic e o f ich th y o lo g is ts , we
* Vide Hist des Poiss. iii. p.