d a rk p a r ts in th e p la te h a v e a d e e p b row n h u e in th e sp e c
im e n , w h ic h h a s b e e n lo n g in s p i r i t s ; a n d th e in s id e o f
th e m o u th is o f a b r ig h t r e d d is h -o ra n g e , w h ich a lso tin g e s ,
th o u g h n o t so d e e p ly , th e c o rn e r o f th e m o u th a n d th e
p a r ts w h ich a r e e x p o s e d b y th e p r o tr a c tio n o f th e in t e r m
a x illa r ie s .
L e n g th o f th e sp e c im e n 1 3 i in c h e s .
H ab. N o rfo lk I s la n d .
C r e n id e n s s im p l e x . R ic h a rd s o n .
R a d i i :— B . 6 ? D. 1 5 1 1 2 ; A. 3112; C. 1 5 | ; P . 1 6 ; V. 1|5.
O n ly o n e m em b e r o f th is g e n u s is d e s c r ib e d in th e H i s to
ir e d e s P o is so n s , n am e ly , th e C r e n id e n s f o r s k a l i i , w h ich
h a s th e c u ttin g e d g e o f e a c h to o th d iv id e d b y n o tc h e s in to
five ev en c u sp s . S ev e ra l o th e r m em b e rs o f th e g ro u p in -
l ia b it th e s e a s o f C h in a a n d A u s tra lia . O n e o f th e s e , C.
p u n c ia ia {R ich a rd so n , R e p . o f B r. A sso c , fo r 1 845, p . 2 4 2 ;
G ir e lla p u n c ta ta . G r a y , 111. In d . Z o o l., P I. 9 8 , figs. 3, 4)
lia s tr ic u s p id te e lh , a s h a s a lso C. tr ig ly p h u s (p a g e 3 6 o f
th e p r e s e n t w o rk , a n d P la te X X V ., fig. 2) a n d C. m e la n ic h th
y s (T em m . e t S ch l. F a u n . J a p . p . 7 5 , P I. 3 9 ; R e p . B r.
A s so c , p . 2 4 3 ) . T h e te e th o f C. tep k rc eo p s o f K in g
G e o rg e ’s S o u n d , d e s c r ib e d a b o v e in p a g e 6 9 , a n d fig u re d
o n P l a t e X L I ., fig. 1, a re a lso t r i c u s p id ; b u t th e c u sp s ,
in s te a d o f b e in g e q u a l a s in th e p r e c e d in g sp e c ie s , h a v e
th e m id d le o n e c o n s id e r a b ly w id e r a n d lo n g e r th a n th e
s id e one s. C. z e b ra (p. 70 su p ra ) a n d C. le o n in u s a re
d e s c r ib e d from d raw in g s , a n d th e fo rm s o f ih e ir te e th a re
u n k n ow n to m e ; b u t o n e s p e c ie s w h ich , lik e t r ig ly p h u s ,
i s a n in h a b i ta n t o f P o r t J a c k s o n , h a s a ll th e e x te rn a l c h a r
a c te r s o f th e g e n u s , e x c e p t th a t th e te e th a re e n tire , a n d
n o t in a c c o rd a n c e th e re fo re with th e s c ie n tific ap p e lla tio n
o f th e g ro u p . T h e fo llow in g d e s c r ip tio n w a s d r aw n u p
from a d r ie d sp e c im e n , n um b e re d 4 6 , 10, 2 2 , 11, in th e
B r itis h M u s eum .
T h e g e n e r a l form is n o t v e ry d is s im ila r to th a t o f C.
f o r s k a l i i o r tr ig ly p h u s , b u t th e p ro file o f th e fo re h e a d is
m o re s lo p in g . T h e h e ig h t o f th e b o d y is c o n ta in e d th r ic e
a n d o n e - th ird in th e to ta l le n g th o f th e fish. T h e h e a d
fo rm s a fifth p a r t o f th e wh o le le n g th . T h e d iam e te r o f
th e e y e is e q u a l to a q u a r te r o f th e le n g th o f th e h e a d .
T w o sm a ll ro u n d n o s tr ils a r e p la c e d im m e d ia te ly be fore
th e ey e o n e a c h s id e . T h e m a x illa ry is s le n d e r , a n d lie s
in a d e e p furrow b e h in d th e p r em a x illa r ie s , b e in g h id d e n
w h e n th e y a re re tr a c te d : th e d ila te d e n d is v is ib le b e h in d
th e c om e r o f th e m o u th , a n d g lid e s u n d e r th e ed g e o f th e
p re o rb ita r . T h e p rem a x illa rie s a n d lo w e r j a w a re a rm e d
w ilh m a n y row s o f le e lh , w h ic h h a v e n a r row b a s e s , a n d
d ila te g ra d u a lly tow a rd s th e ir tru n c a te d , e n tir e , c u ttin g
ed g e s . T h e four o u te r rows o n th e e d g e s o f th e ja w s are
s lig h tly in c u rv e d , a n d in c o n s e q u e n c e o f th e ir p o s itio n a re
s e p a r a te d b y a g a p from a d e n s e c lu s te r o f m u c h sm a lle r,
b u t o th e rw is e s im ila r te e th , c o v e rin g t h e m o re in te r io r s u r f
a c e o f th e jaw s . I n th e r e c e n t fi.sh th e s e in n e r t e e th , ow in
g to th e ir tip s o n ly b e in g v is ib le , m ay b e m is ta k e n for
g r a n u la r te e th , b u t th e y h a v e th e s am e form w ith th o la rg e r
o u te r o n e s , a n d a re ev id e n tly d e s tin e d to r e p la c e th em
wh en tlie y a re w o rn down, in th e s am e m a n n e r th a t th e in n
e r te e th o f a s h a rk ro ll o u tw a rd s o n th e e d g e o f th o jaw
a s th e y a re n e e d e d . T h e fo u r o u te r row s a re o b liq u e ly
tile d , th e in n e rm o s t o f th em b e in g th e h ig h e s t. A c irc u la r
p la te o n th e v om e r is ro u g h w ith m in u te te e th , in v is ib le to
th e n a k e d e y e ; a n d th e r e is a sm a lle r p la te o f t h e sam e
k in d o n th e fore e n d o f e a c h p a la te b o n e , w h ic h is s e p a r
a te d from th e v om e rin e p la te b y a n a r row in te rv a l. T h e
to n g u e is p o ro u s , th e is thm u s sm o o th ; th e u n d e r p h a r y n g
e a ls a re a rm e d b y sh o r t, s u b u la te , re c u rv e d , d en se ly
c row d e d te e th . T h e b r a n c h ia l a r c h e s a re e a c h fu rn ish e d
b y two row s o f th in c re s ts p la c e d tr a n sv e rs e ly , a n d b r is tly
w ith m in u te h a ir - lik e te e th . J aw s , sn o u t, p r e o rb ita r , n a r row
s u b o rb ita r ch a in , tem p le s , d isk o f p re o p e rc u lu ra , in te r o
p e rc u lum , su b o p e rc u lum a n d low e r h a l f o f o p e r c u lum ,
w ilh th e s c a p u la r, s c a le le s s . S ev en row s o f s c a le s co v e r
the_ c h e e k b e tw e e n th e cu rv e o f th e p re o p e rc u lum a n d th e
o rb it, a n d th e re a re a b o u t a s m an y o n th e u p p e r h a l f o f th e
o p e rc u lum . B o n y o p e rc u lum w id e ly n o tc h e d ; th e u p p e r
c om e r o f th e n o tc h g r e a tly ro u n d e d off) th e low e r p a r t o f
th e cmwe m u c h m o re su d d e n , a n d te rm in a te d b y a n a c u te
c om e r , w h ic h is p a s s e d b y th e n a n 'ow tip o f th e su b o p e r c
u lum . T h e n o tc h is filled in tb e r e c e n t fish b y sm o o th
m em b ran e . T h e s c a le s o f th e b o d y h a v e th e sam e o b lo n g
form w ith th o s e o f th e o th e r s p e c ie s d e s c r ib e d in th is work.
A m e n is c o id s e gm e n t o f th e e x p o s e d d isk o f e a c h s c a le is
tr a v e r s e d b y ro u g h r a d ia tin g lin e s , w h ic h e n d in m in u te
m a rg in a l te e th . T h e m id d le o f th e d isk is sm o o th a n d
s h in in g , a n d m o re p o s te r io r ly th e lin e s o f s tru c tu r e a re lo n g
itu d in a l a n d p a ra lle l. F ifty -fiv e s c a le s c om p le te th e
la te r a l lin e , a n d th e r e a re a b o u t te n row s o f s c a le s a b o v e
it , a n d tw en ty b e low , w h e re th e h e ig h t o f th e b o d y is
g re a te s t. T h e s c a le s a re sm a lle s t o n th e n a p e , b r e a s t a n d
b e lly , a n d la rg e s t o n th e s id e s b e low th e la te r a l lin e , a n d
o n th e ta il g en e ra lly . A fille t o f sm a ll s c a le s ru n s a lo n g
th e b a s e o f th e d o rs a l, a n d a n o th e r a lo n g th e a n a l. Sm a ll
s c a le s a lso c o v e r th e b a s e o f th e c a u d a l, a n d th e re a re m in
u te s c a le s o n th e m em b ra n e s o f th e soft d o rs a l a n d a n a l,
w ith n a rrow t a p e r in g fille ts ru n n in g u p b e h in d th e a lte rn a te
s p in e s , a s in th e tr ig ly p h u s . L a te r a l lin e co n s id e ra b ly
a b o v e th e m id d le o f th e h e ig h t, fo llowing th e curve o f th e
b a c k , a n d u n b ro k e n . V e n tra l sp in e s le n d e r , o n e - th ird
s h o r te r th a n th e so ft r a y s , a n d s ta n d in g u n d e r th e th ird d o r s
a l s p in e a n d a tta c hm e n t o f th e low e s t p e c to r a l ray. I n
t r ig l y p h u s a n d te p h r a o p s th e v en tra l sp in e i s u n d e r th e b e g
in n in g o f th e do rsa l. D o r s a l sp in e s r a th e r sle n d e r, very
a c u te , a n d a b o u t e q u a l in h e ig h t to th e soft rays. A n a l
s p in e s s to u te r, th e th ird s c a r c e ly ta lle r th a n th e s e co n d ,
a n d a b o u t o n e - th ird lo n g e r th a n th e firs t o ne , w h ic h s ta n d s
u n d e r th e l a s t d o rs a l sp in e . S o ft p a r t o f th e fin h ig h e r
th a n th e d o rs a l a n d m u c h ro u n d e d . C a u d a l m o d e ra te ly
c o n c av e a t th e end.
L e n g th o f s p e c im e n 12 in ch e s .
H ab. P o r t J a c k s o n .
r
S c o r p is g e o r g ia n u s . Cuv. e t Val.
Scorpis georgianus, Cuv. el Val. viii. p. 503, PI. 345.
R a d i i ; - “ B . 7 ; D . lO jS S ; A. 3 l“ .5 ; C. 1 7 ; P . 1 5 ; V . l ] 5 . ’’
— H is to ir e d e s Poissons.
T h is fish is r e p r e s e n te d in M r. N e ill’s d raw in g s (N o . 6),
and is s ta te d b y h im to b e a ve ry com m o n in h a b ita n t ot
ro ck y sh o re s , a n d to ta k e th e h o o k re a d ily . H e s a y s th a t
it is a g ro s s fe ed e r, b u t is a n a g re e a b le a r tic le oi fooci.^^ I t
is th e “ s tr ip e d sw e ep ” o f th e se a le rs , th e “ p om fre t ot
th e s e ttle rs o f K in g G eo rg e ’s S o u n d , a n d th e “ m u d e u r o f
th e A b o rig in e s , who a lso n am e i t “ teuUick ” o r « a rlo c h ,
from th e s h a p e o f t h e fins. T h e d raw in g m e a su re s 12^
in c h e s in le n g th , a n d th e b o d y is 7 \ in c h e s h ig h . I h e
colour is b la c k ish -b row n , d e e p e n in g to b row n ish -b la c k o n
th e sn o u t, b a c k , e d g e s o f t h e d o rs a l a n d a n a l, a n d on th e
whole o f th e o th e r fins. T h e r e is a dai-k b a r on th e g ill-
cove r a n d tem p le s , a n o th e r b ro a d o u e d e s c e n d s irom th e
whole le n g ih o f th e sp in o u s d o rs a l to th e b e lly , a n d two
from th e s o il p a r t o f th e d o is a l. T h e lip s , low’e r j aw a n d
eye a re y e llow ish .
I liave se e n n o e x am p le o f th is sp e c ie s .
H ab. K in g G eo rg e ’s S o u n d , A u s tra lia .
S c o r p is a iq u ip in n is . R ic h a rd so n .
“ The Sweep,” Neill’s drawings of the Fish of King George’s Sound
(in Mus. Brit.), No. 43.
R a d i i : — D . 10127; A. 3 j2 6 ; C. 174-; P . 1 9 ; V. Il5 .
T h e p rem a x illa ry te e lh a rc sh o rt, a n d d isp o s e d m d e n s e
vilUlbrni b a n d s , th e o u te r row b e in g a little s tro n g e r a u d
lo n g e r th a n th e o th e r s , b u t a p p a r e n tly n o t so m u ch so as
in g eo rg ia n u s , T h e v illiform b a n d s c e a s e a b o u t m idw ay to
th e an g le o f t h e m o u th , a n d th e e x te r io r row, g rad u a lly d im
in ish in g in th e s iz e o f i ts te e th , d is a p p e a r s a l i l l l e ia r th e r
o n . T h e m a n d ib u la r te e th a re s im ila r, b u t r e a c h to th e
co rn e r o f th e m o u th , th e in te r io r b a n d tlim n in g off to a
p o iu t. T h e c h ev ro n o f th e v om e r a n d e d g e s o f th e p a la tin e
b o n e s a re a rm e d w ilh r a th e r s tro n g e r v illiform te e lh . T h e
te e th on th e p te ry g o id b o n e s a re s c a r c e ly to b e d e te c te d ,
even in th e y o u n g e r sp e c im e n s , w ilh a g o o d le n s . I h e
p re o p e rc u lum is fin e ly a n d a c u te ly to o th e d a lo n g its low e r
lim b a n d ro u n d th e an g le , th e te e th b e in g v isib le to th e
n a k e d e y e , b u t on th e ed g e o f th e lim b th e r e is m e re ly a
s lig h tir r e g u la r ity . T h e o p e rc u lum is e llip tic a lly n o tc h e d o n
i t s e d g e , w ith o u t p u n g e n t an g le s . T h e c h e e k , su b o rb ita r
c h a in , d isk o f th e p r e o p e ic u lnm , vest o f th e o p e rc u la r
p ie c e s , low e r jaw , gill-co v e r, th ro a t, a u d m o s t o f th e h e a d ,
a re s c a ly ; th e lip s , m em b ra n o u s p a r t s a b o u t th e m o u th
a n d n o s trils , a n d th e m a x illa ry , b e in g sm o o th . I h e
sp in o u s p a r ts o f t h e d o rs a l a n d a n a l h a v e s c a ly s h e a th s a t
th e ir b a s e s ; th e vest o f th e v e rtic a l fins a re c o v e re d w ith
m in u te sc a le s. T h e s c a le s o f th e b o d y se em to h a v e a
m o re c o n v e x fre e e d g e th a n th o s e o f g e o rg ia n u s : th e y a re
s tro n g ly to o th e d o n th e ed g e , a n d m o s t o f th em h a v e th re e
o r fo u r ra is e d lin e s n e a r to th e free ed g e a n d p a ra lle l to it.
T h e d raw in g is c o lo u re d n e u tr a l tin t, f a d in g to p a le b lu e
o r b lu ish -g r a y on th e low e r p a r ts , a n d d e e p e n in g o n th e
c a u d a l, d o rs a l a n d ed g e o f th e a n a l a lm o s t to b la c k . T h e
ton o f th e h e a d a n d b a c k a re a lso b la c k ish , a n d th e in e in -
brmies o f th e p e c to r a ls a n d v e n tra ls . T h e lip s a n d ey e are
v e llow.
L e n g th o f th e sp e c im e n s from 4 lo 10 in c h e s ; o f Mr.
N e ill’s d raw in g 16|- in c h e s .
H a b . K in g G e o rg e ’s S o u n d , A u s tra lia .
T h is fish is th e “ swe ep ” o f th e S e a le rs , th e “ n icm o n ”
or “ m e em o n ” o f th e A b o rig in e s o f K in g G e o rg e s S o u n d .
I t is very com m o n o n tb e ro c k y sh o re s , a n d is s ta te d b y
Mr. N e ill to b e a b o ld v o ra c io u s fish , e a s ily s p e a re d or
tak en b y tb e h o o k . “ T h e m e th o d em p lo y e d b y th e n a tives
for s p e a r in g th e fish is e x trem e ly s im p le . T h e y g en e ra
lly s e le c t a ro c k ju t t in g fa r o u t in to th e se a , a n d s iltin g
th e re on th e ir h am s , wilh a l ittle s to n e b e fo re th em , b e a t
crab s to fra gm e n ts a n d th row th em in to th e w a te r ; th e n
th e fish, c o in in g to s e iz e u p o n th e b a it, is tr a n s f ix e d b y
th e sp e a r, w h ich th e n a tiv e h o ld s r e a d y a n d p o is e d in h is
h a n d . H e ra re ly th row s i t w ith o u t s e c u r in g a p r e y o n Us
b a rb e d p o in t.” (N e ill I. c.) T h i s s p e c ie s is b u t a p o o r
a rtic le o f food.
T h is is a m o re o b lo n g fish th a n S . g eo rg ia n u s , a n d th e
summits o f i t s d o rs a l a n d a n a l a re n o t fa lc a te , o r r e ry
slig h tly so, even in ih e la rg e s t in d iv id u a ls . T h e h e ig h t ot
th e b o d y is c o n ta in e d n e a rly th r ic e in th e to ta l le n g th , in s
te a d o f o n ly tw ic e a n d a h a lf a s in g eo rg ia n u s . T h e
len g th o f t h e h e a d is c o n ta in e d five lim e s a n d a q u a r te r m
th e whole le n g ih , a n d th e d iam e te r o f th e e y e th n c e a n d a
h a lf in th e le n g th o f th e h e ad .
A r g e n t in a r e t r o p in n a , R ic h a rd so n .
R a d i i : - B . 6 ; D . 11 ; A. 2 0 ; P . 11 ; V. 6.
P la te L I I ., figs. 1— 3.
F o rm fusiform a n d c om p re s s e d , so th a t th e h e ig h t, w h ich
is o n e -s e v e n th o f t h e le n g ih , is n e a r ly twice th e th ic k n e s s .
T h e s id e s a re fla ttish , th e b a c k o b tu s e , a n d th e b e lly a lso
ro u n d e d , b u t wilb a low, a c u te , m e sia l c u ta n e o u s se am ,
w h ich ru n s from th e p e c to ra ls lo th e a n a l, a n d is m o s t v is ib
le p o s te r io r to th e v e n tra ls . T h e p ro file a s c e n d s m an
a rc to th e o c c ip u t, a n d from th e n c e to th e d o rs a l, which is
fa r b a c k , i t is h o riz o n ta l, wilh a s lig h t c o n v e x ity . I h e
u n d e r p ro file n e a rly co rre sp o n d s with th e u p p e r o ne , e x c e p t
th a t w h en th e fish is fu ll o f ro e , a s in th e sp e c im en wh ich
is ficurecl, th e b e lly is r a th e r m o re co n v ex . I h e le n g th
o f th e h e a d is o n e -fifth o f th e w h o le le n g th o f th e fish.
T h e s c a le s a re ve ry d e lic a te , o f a n o b tu s e ly o v a l form, th e