f ig u re d o n P la t e X X ., is v e ry g re a t. I t is , h ow eve r, ra th e r
m o re c om p r e s s e d , a n d t h e s c a le s a re som ew h a t sm a lle r, th e
s n o u t s h o r te r , th e e y e la rg e , so a s e x a c tly to e q u a l th e
b r e a d th o f th e fla t fo re h e a d b e tw e e n th e e d g e s o f th e
o rb its , a n d th o a n a l h a s a m u c h s lig h te r c u rv e o r n o tc h .
T h e row o f s c a le s o n th e m a x illa ry , b e in g ve ry d e c id u o u s ,
h a s fa lle n from th e sp e c im e n s , a n d was om itte d b y th e
a r tis t in h is d raw in g , b u t tr a c e s o f i t e x i s t o n th e fish.
T h e r e a re fifty -fo u r s c a le s , with tu b e s o n th e la te r a l lin e ,
a n d five o r s i s row s o n th e b a s e o f th e c a u d a l, m a k in g
a b o u t s ix ty in a ll b e tw e e n th e g ill-o p e n in g a n d c a u d a l.
L e n g th 5 ^ in c h e s .
I-Iab._ T h e s o u th -e a s te rn a n d so u th -w e s te rn c o a s ts o f
A u s tra lia . N o rfo lk I s la n d . P o r t J a c k s o n . K in g G e o rg e ’s
S o u n d .
G r y s t e s m a c q u a r ie n s is . C u v ie r.
Grysus macquariensis, Cuv. et Val. Hist, des Poissons, iii. p. 58.
R a d i i :— B . 7 ; D . 1 0 |1 5 , v e l 1 1 |1 6 ; A. 8 |1 8 ; C . 1 8 j ;
P . 17, ve l 1 9 ; V . 1|5.
P la t e L T IL , figs. 8, 9,
I n M itc h e ll’s E x p e d itio n s in A u s tr a lia , P !. 6 , f. 1 r e p r e s
e n ts a fish lo c a lly n am e d ‘ c o d p e r c h ,’ a n d to w h ich th e
a u tlio r h a s g iv e n th e sp e c ific n am e o f G r y s te s p e e lii, b e c
a u s e i t v a rie s in som e re s p e c ts from th e d e s c rip tio n o f G.
m a c q u a r ie n s is in th e H is to ir e de s P o isso n s, a n d d o e s n o t
c o r r e s p o n d w ith G u e r in ’s fig u re in th e I c o n o g ra p h ie de
R e g n e A n im a l . O u r sp e c im e n s h a v e th e p a le m a rg in s to
th e d o r s a l a n d an a l, w h ic h e x i s t in m a cq u a r ie n s is , b u t
w h ic h p e e lii is s a id to w a n t. T h e ir fo rm , h owever, is th a t
o f M itc h e ll’s fish , a n d a s th e y a g re e su ffic ien tly w ilh th e
d e ta ile d d e s c r ip tio n in th e H is to ir e de s Poissons, th e p ro b
a b ility se em s to b e th a t m a c q u a r ie n s is a n d p e e lii a re b u t
o n e sp e c ie s , a n d th a t G u e rin ’s fig u re , a s in m a n y o th e r in s
ta n c e s , h a s b e e n c a re le s s ly d raw n . T h e a c c o u n t o f m a c q
u a r ie n s is in th e H is to ir e d e s P o is so n s is suffic ien tly
d e ta ile d ; a n d w e s h a ll m e re ly a d d , th a t th e s c a le s a re
sm a ll, d e e p ly im b e d d e d in a m u c o u s sk in , a n d c o v e r a lm o s t
ev e ry p a r t o f th e su rfa c e o f th e fish : th e y e x i s t o n th e p e c to
r a ls , v e n tra ls , c a u d a l a n d firs t d o rs a l, a n d e n tire ly c lo th e
th e s e c o n d d o rs a l a n d a n a l. T h e y a r e fo u n d , th o u g h m in
u te , ev e n o n th e m em b ra n e jo in in g th e lim b s o f th e lowe r
j aw ; a lso o n tb e g ill-ra y s , s n o u t, p r e o rb ita r , m ax illa ry ,
d isk o f th e p r e o p e r c u lum , a s we ll a s o n th e g ill-p la te s a n d
r e s t o f th e h e a d .
M itc h e ll d e s c r ib e s th e c o lo u r o f p e e lii a s b e in g “ lig h t
y e llow , c o v e re d with sm a ll, ir r e g u la r , d u sk y sp o ts , w h ich
g e t m o re co n flu e n t tow a rd s th e b a c k . T h e th ro a t is p in k is
h , a n d th e b e lly w h ite .” T h e o r ig in a l tin ts o f o u r s p e c im
e n s h a v e b e e n a lte red .
L e n g th from 6 in c h e s to 18 in c h e s .
H a b . T h e M a c q u a r r ie , a n d s e v e ra l o th e r A u s tra lian
D a t x ia e l l i p t i c a . R ic h a rd so n .
R.AD1I:— B . 6 ; D . 1 2 |1 3 ; A. 3 |8 ; C . 1 5 | ; P . 1 5 ; V. 1|5.
P la te L IT ., figs. 4— 8.
A t p a g e 2 4 , a n d in P l a t e X V I I I ., fig. 8 , 1 h a v e d e s c r ib e d
a n d f ig u re d a fre sh -w a te r fish w h ic h differs from th e g ro u p
o f T h e ra p o n , D a tn ia , P e lâ te s a n d H e ló le s , in h a v in g an
u n d iv id e d a ir -b la d d e r , a n d from e a c h o f th e s e g e n e r a in
som e o th e r p e c u lia rity o f s tru c tu re . O n th e whole i t ag re e s
b e s t w ith D a tn ia . I n P la te L I I . we h a v e g iv en a r e p r e s
e n ta tio n o f a n o th e r fr e sh -w a te r s p e c ie s ve ry s im ila r to D.
c a u d a v itta ta o f P la te X V I IL , b u t diffe rin g from i t in its
m o re o b lo n g fo n n , its le s s e le v a te d c h e e k a n d b ro a d e r
o p e rc u lum , w h ic h is c o v e re d b y n in e row s o f s c a le s . I t s
te e th a re v illiform o n b o th jaw s , th e o u te r row b e in g a little
s tro n g e r, b u t s till sm a ll. T h e tee.lh s ta n d a t th e sym p h y s
is a b o u t s ix o r se v e n d e e p . T h e r e a re n o n e o n th e vom e r
o r p a la te b o n e s . T h e p r e o rb ita r s a re fin e ly s tr ia te d in
co r r e sp o n d e n c e w ith m in u te m a rg in a l c r e n a tu r e s . T h e
p re o p e r c u lu r a is s tro n g ly s e rra te d a t its ro u n d e d c o rn e r,
a n d b e c om e s g ra d u a lly le s s so tow a rd s th e e x tr em itie s o f
b o th its lim b s ; a n d th e sm a ll, fla t, o p e r c u la r sp in e s a re
gro o v ed a t th e ir t ip s so a s to a p p e a r d o u b le . T h e h um e r
a l b o n e a n d s u p r a - a x illa ry p la te o f th e c o ra c o id a re fu rrow
ed a n d c r e n a te d lik e th e p re o rb ita r.
L e n g th 6 ^ in c h e s .
H a b . R iv e r s iu W e s te rn A u s tra lia .
L e t h r in c s c h r y so s t o m u s . R ic h a rd so n .
R a d i i :— B . 6 ; D . 1 0 |8 ; A. 3 |8 ; C. 1 7 | ; P . 11 ; V. 1|5.
N e a r ly fifty sp e c ie s o f L e th r in u s a re d e s c r ib e d in th e
H is to ir e d e s P o isso n s, b u t a s th e y a re n o t c h a r a c te r is e d by
a n y w e ll-m a rk ed p e c u lia r itie s o f s tru c tu r e , d e s c r ip tio n fails
to c o n v e y su c h an id e a o f e a c h s p e c ie s a s w ill re n d e r it
e a s ily r e c o g n iz a b le . T h e c om p a r a tiv e n o tic e s in th a t e x c
e lle n t work a re chie fly o f u s e wh en th e ic h th y o lo g ic a l
s tu d e n t h a s a g o o d se rie s o f sp e c im e n s fo r h is g u id e , b u t
d o n o t suffice fo r th e d e te rm in a tio n o f iso la te d e x am p le s ,
p a r tic u la r ly w h e n th e co lo u rs o f th e fish h a v e p e r is h e d ;
a n d w e h a v e n o t a c c e s s to m o re th a n seven o r e ig h t fig u re s
w h ich m ay h e lp in th is p ro c e s s . T h e sp e c im e n d e s c rib e d
b e low was ta k e n a t N o rfo lk I s la n d , a n d e x c e p t a s to colour,
w h ic h h a s d o u b tle s s c h a n g e d b y im m e rs io n in s p ir its , is in
e x c e lle n t c o n d itio n . I n d raw in g u p th e d e s c rip tio n , I h av e
b e e n v e ry p a r tic u la r a s to th e p o s itio n o f th e ey e , a n d th e
r e la tiv e p ro p o r tio n s o f th e p a r ts o f th e h e a d , e sp e c ia lly in
re g a rd to th e d im e n s io n s o f th e p r e o rb ita r , whose size
g re a tly in flu e n c e s th e p h y s io g n om y o f th e L e lh r in i . A n d I
h a v e a lso a tte n d e d to th e te e th , th a t th e sp e c ie s m a y be
th e m o re e a s ily id e n tifie d w h en i t is e x am in e d on th e
c o a s ts o f A u s tra lia .
T h e p ro file re s em b le s th a t o f g e n i v i i ta tu s m o re n e a rly
th an th a t o f a n y o f th e fig u re s g iv e n in th e H is to ir e des
Poissons, R iip p e ll’s N e u e W ir lb e th ie r e , o r b y R u s s e ll,
b u t i t h a s a h ig h e r b o d y , sh o r te r d o rs a l sp in e s , a n d its ey e
is p la c e d p ro p o r tio n a lly fa r th e r from th e e n d o f th e sn o u t,
b e in g fully th r e e lo n g itu d in a l d iam e te rs o f th e o rb it irom
the e x tr em ity o f th e u p p e r j aw wh en c lo s e ly r e tr a c te d , a n d
only o ne d iam e te r from th e n u c h a l sc a le s . T h e L e th r in u s
ha ra k o f R iip p e ll h a s a sh o r te r sn o u t, a m o re c o n c av e p ro file
o f th e fa c e , a n d a more d e lic a te a n d le s s s tro n g ly
a rch ed sp in o u s d o rs a l.
O u r fish h a s a p ro f ile a s c e n d in g from th e s n o u t, w ith a
sc a rc e ly p e r c e p tib le c o n c a v ity , to th e low e r n o s tr il, a n d
th en s tr a ig h tly , o r r a th e r co n v e x ly , to th e n a p e , w h e re it
pa sse s w ith o u t a b ru p tn e s s in to th e lo n g itu d in a l cu rv e o f
th e b a c k . T h e fa c e m a k e s a n a n g le o f 4 5 ° w ith th e h o r izon
ta l r ic tu s o f t h e m o u th ; th e b a c k is m o d e ra te ly c o n v e x ,
aud th e b e lly le s s so ; th e th ro a t a n d u n d e r su rfa c e o f th e
m an d ib le h a v in g a s lig h t a s c e n t w hen th e m o u th is c losed.
T h e h e a d is c o n s id e ra b ly c om p re s s e d , i t s th ic k n e s s a t th e
o rb its b e in g r a lh e r le s s th a n o n e - th ird o f its h e ig h t th e re ,
a n d a t th e n a p e , w h ich is a l ittle th ic k e r , th e p ro p o r tio n to
the h e ig h t is n e a rly th e sam e . T h e to p o f th e h e a d a n d
sn o u t is ro u n d e d o f f ; th e s id e s o f th e h e a d a re fla t a n d
ve rtic a l. T h e d is ta n c e from th e a n te r io r ed g e o f th e p r e orb
ita r lip to th e f ir s t d o rs a l sp in e is e x a c tly e q u a l to one-
th ird th e l e n g th o f t h e fish, c a u d a l in c lu d e d , a u d th e lo n g
d iam e te r o f th e e y e fo n n s one -fifth o f th is sam e d is ta n c e ,
a n d a lso o f th e le n g th o f th e h e a d , m e a su re d from th e f ro n t
o f th e in te rm a x in a v y lip to th e a p e x o f th e gill-co v e r.
Aga in, th e lo n g d iam e te r o f th e ey e is c o n ta in e d th r ic e in
th e h e ig h t o f th e ch e ek b e tw e e n th e o rb i t a n d in fe rio r edge
o f th e in te ro p e rc u lum , a u d th e h e ig h t o f th e h e a d a t th e
n u ch a l s c a le s is e q u a l to th e d is ta n c e from th e s e sc a le s to
th e in te rm a x illa ry lip w ith r e tr a c te d jaw s , b u t is le s s th a n
th e le n g tli o f th e h e a d m e a su re d to th e h in d e r ed g e o f th e
gill-flap. T h e w h o le h e a d , e x c e p t th e o p e rc u lum , is
covered w ilh th ic k p o ro u s sk in , w h ic h p ro je c ts b e y o n d th e
edge s o f th e o p e r c u la r p ie c e s , fo rm in g a c u te , b u t very
smooth, flaps. T h e p re o p e r c u lum is free, o r c a p a b le o f
b e iu g ra is e d ro u n d its wh o le p o s te r io r a n d u n d e r b o rd e r ,
n o p a r t o f th e b o n e a p p e a r in g th ro u g h th e in te g u m e n t ; a u d
th e d e p th o f th e flap a t its ro u n d e d c om e r is a b o u t a q u a r te
r o f a n in c h . T h e n e a rly v e rtic a l p o s te r io r ed g e is
slig h tly co n c av e . T h e in te g um e n t is c o n tin u e d even ly
over th e d isk o f th e b o n e , th e c h e e k , p r e o rb ita r , a n d a c ro ss
th e sn o u t, its in fe rio r ed g e fo n n in g th e p r e o rb ita r lip ,
whose flap is a q u a r te r o f a n in c h d e e p : i t s ed g e is q u ite
even. T b e h e ig h t o f th e in te ro p e rc u lum is lik ew is e in cre
a sed b y ail ev en a n d r a th e r firm cu ta n e o u s b o rd e r.
T h e o p e rcu lum is c o v e re d o n th e d isk w ith s ix row s o f
scales, a u d b e h in d th e la s t row th e ro u n d e d , th in , fla t ed g e
o f th e b o n e a p p e a rs co v e red witli sm o o th skin. T h e fle x ible
c a r tila g in o u s p o in t o f th e in te ro p e rc u lum u n d e rlie s
th is b o n y p ro c e s s , a n d th e so ft s k in n y b o rd e r o f th e gd l-
flap forms a ro u n d e d c o rn e r o r lo b e b e h in d all. T h e r e are
no p o in ts su c h a s e x is t o n th e b o n y o p e rc u lum o ig e n iv i t -
ta tu s , lu lja n n s , a n d some oth e rs.
T h e m a n d ib le is a r tic u la te d u n d e r th e p o s te rio r n o s tril,
an d wh en th e m o u th is fu lly o p e n i t is d e p re s s e d so a s to
form an a n g le o f a b o u t 1 0 0 ° w ilh th e th ro a t, tlie p rem a x -
illa r ie s b e in g a t th e sam e tim e p ro tru d e d a b o u t h a l f a n
in c h . I n th is s ta te th e fla t, b ro a d ly ro u n d e d , low e r e n d of
th e m a x illa ry , e n v e lo p e d in f o ld s o f s k in , com e s from u n d e r
th e p r e o rb ita r , w h ic h w h o lly co n c e a ls i t w h e n th e m o u th is
c lo s ed . T h o lip s a r e d e n s e ly s tu d d e d w ith sm a ll, soft,
sm o o th , ro u n d is h p a p illæ , a n d tow a rd s th e ro o ts o f th e
te e lh a re lin e d w ith fo ld s o f so ft frin g e -lik e villi. l l i e
jaw s , w h en th e m o u th is c lo s e d , a re o f e q u a l le n g th , a n d
e a c h a rm ed a t tb e e x tr em ity b y fo u r c a n in e te e th , th a t is ,
tw o o n e a c h p r em a x illa ry a n d lim b o f th e _ m a n d ib le :
th e y a re o f m o d e r a te s iz e , a n d th e in te rm e d ia te p a ir is
sm a lle r th a n th e o u te r o n e s , p a r tic u la r ly o n th e m a n d ib le s ;
b u t th e y a re followed o n th e lim b s o f th e u p p e r j aw , a n d
a b o u t a to o th ’s b r e a d th m o re in te r io r ly , b y a row o f te n o r
e le v e n sm a lle r, s to u tly su b u la te te e th , w h ic h in c r e a s e
s lig h tly in s iz e a n d b e com e m ore c o n ic a l from th e firs t to
th e s e v e n th ; th is o n e e q u a ls th e m id d le p a ir o f c a n in e s ,
a n d th e la s t th re e la te r a l te e lb a re sm a lle r, low e r a n d more
b lu n t, b u t n o t a c tu a lly f la t-c row n e d . B e h in d th e c a n in e s
th e r e is a b a n d o f d e n s e ly v illifo rm te e th , w h ic h ta p e r s oil
on th e sid e s o f th e jaw , a n d e n d s a t th e s e v e n th la te r a l
to o th . T h e lim b s o f th e low e r jaw a re a rm e d b y tw e lv e
te e th s im ila r lo th e p rem a x illa ry o n e s , b u t a l ittle la rg e r :
th e y a u gm e n t in s iz e from th e firs t to th e n in th , a n d th e
la s t th re e a re low e r a n d b lu n te r . T h e to n g u e is n a rrow ,
p o in te d a n d sm o o th . .
T h e su p r a - s c a p u la r s a re e a c h co v e red b y a c lu s te r of s ix
s c a le s , w hose d isk s a re c lo th e d w ith p o ro u s sk in ; a n d a
row o f five o r s ix s im ila r sc a le s d e s c e n d s o n th e tem p le s
b e fo re th e u p p e r e n d o f t h e p re o p e rc u lum . T h e n u c h a l o r
firs t row o f sc a le s a re a lso in v e s te d w ilh p o ro u s in te g um e n t,
a n d th e f ir s t b o n e o f th e h um e r a l c h a in la k e s its p la c e
am o n g th em , b e in g d is tin g u is h a b le ch ie fly b y its som ew h a t
g re a te r s iz e . T h e r e a te fo rty -s ix sc a le s in a row b e tw e e n th e
g ill-o p e n in g a n d th e c a u d a l fin, e x c lu d in g th e b a n d o f sm a ll
one s wh ich in v e s t th e b a s e s o f th e ra y s , a n d a b o u t e ig h te e n
row s o n th e h e ig h t b e h in d th e a x illa o f th e p e c to r a l. T h e
sp e c ie s is o n e o f th e h ig h e s t a n d s to u te s t am o n g th e L e th r in i ,
th e h e ig h t o f th e b o d y b e in g eq u a l to th e le n g th o f th e h e a d
o r o n e - th ird o f th e to ta l le n g th o f th e fish, a g re e in g m th is
r e s p e c t w ith a h b r e v ia tu s a n d som e o th e r s d e s c r ib e d in th e
H is to ir e de s Poissons. T h e f ir s t d o rs a l s p in e s ta n d s over
th e sp a c e b e tw e e n th e g ill-o p e n in g a n d b a s e o f th e p e c to ra
l, a n d is a trifle too fa r fo rw a rd s in o u r fig u re .* I t is
s c a rc e ly h a l f th e h e ig h t o f th e ih ird sp in e , w h ic h is th e
t a l l e s t : th e fo llowing o n e s g rad u a lly d e c re a s e to th e
e ig h th , w h ic h is a b o u t o n e -fo u rth sh o r te r th a n th e th ird
on e , a n d is very s lig h tly e x c e e d e d in h e ig h t b y th e n in th
a u d te n th . T h e soft ra v s a re a b o u t e q u a l in le n g th to th e
th ird sp in e . T h e sp in e s o f th e d o rs a l a n d a n a l a re s e t
with th e ir b ro a d s id e s tu rn e d a lte rn a te ly to th e r ig h t a n d
le ft. T h e th ird a n a l sp in e is th e ta lle s t. T h e p o in te d
sc a le s ab o v e a u d b e iw e e n th e v e n tra ls a re th re e -c o rn e re d ,
a n d p o s s e s s co n s id e ra b le r ig id ity . T h e c a u d a l w hen e x te
n d e d is n o tc h e d to a b o u t a th i rd o f th e le n g th ol its m id dle
ray s , a n d its c o rn e rs a re r a th e r a cu te .
T h e co lo u rs in a fre sh s ta te w e r e n o t re c o rd e d , b u t th e
•» The artist has inadvertently rqiresented eleven spines instead often,
and this error has advanced the coininetceineiit of the fm a lutie.