b a c kw a rd s to th e d o r s a l, w ith a n a c u te , th o u g h n o t e le v
a te d , m e s ia l, s c a ly lid g e , e x te n d in g from th e fin to th e
o c c ip u t. A t th e b e g in n in g o f th e d o rs a l th e b o d y is ro u n d ,
a n d from th e n c e i t ta p e r s g ra d u a lly to th e b a s e o f t h e c a u d
a l fin , th e ta il b e in g s lig h tly c om p re s s e d . T h e m u s c le s
o f th e b a c k a n d b e lly sw e ll so a s to p la c e th e d o rs a l a n d
a n a l fin s in g ro o v e s . T h e le n g th o f th e h e a d is c om p ris e d
fo u r tim e s a n d th re e q u a r te r s in th e to ta l le n g th , c a u d a l
in c lu d e d , a n d i t s h e ig h t a t th e ey e s is le s s th a n a th ird o f
Its own le n g th . T h e la rg e o v a l o rb its , b e in g ve ry n e a r
e a c h o th e r , h a v e a v e r tic a l a n d o u tw a rd a sp e c t. T h e ir
m a rg in s a r e sm o o th a n d s lig h tly ra is e d a b o v e th e n a rrow
is thm u s b e tw e e n th em , a n d th e fu ll e y e s swell a b o v e th e
lin e o f th e p ro file . T h e in te g um e n t ro u n d th e b a ll o f t h e
ey e fo rm s a lo o s e fo ld , a n d I c a n d e te c t n o o th e r a p p e a r a
n c e o f th e n ic tita tin g m em b ra n e m e n tio n e d b y F o r s te r .
T h e p r e o rb ita r , la rg e a u d tr ia n g u la r , w ith its a p e x p o in tin g
fo rw a rd , h a s a sm o o th , ev e n ed g e , w ilh som e low sm o o th
n d g e s r a d ia tin g fo rw a rd on its su rfa c e . T h e p r e o rb ita r lip ,
s tr e tc h in g o v e r th e p ed ic le s o f th e p rem a x illa r ie s , is c o r r
e c tly d e s c r ib e d b y F o r s te r , “ C. la h io sum m o s em ilim a io ,
a n tr o r s um b isp in o so ," th e sp in y tip s o f th e c r e s c e n t b e in g
th e s u b u la te s h o u ld e r s o f th e m a x illa r ie s (figs. 8 , 9). T h e
m a x iiia ry com e s in to v iew w h e n th e jaw s a re fu lly e x te
n d e d , b u t wh en th e moiUh is c lo s e ly s h u t i t is re tra c te d
e n tir e ly u n d e r th e p r e o rb ita r a n d s c a ly e d g e o f th e ch e ek .
T h e p r em a x illa r ie s , w ilh v e ry s lig h t d e v e lo pm e n t o f lip ,
fo rm th e e n tir e u p p e r jaw , a n d p la y b e n e a th th e p r e o rb ita r
lip , d e s c e n d in g wh en p ro tru d e d , b u t n o t a lte r in g th e h o ri-
z o n ta lity o f th e g a p e . T h e m a n d ib le is r a th e r more a c u te
a n d a v e ry l ittle s h o r t e r : i t is b o rd e r e d b y a th in m em b
ra n o u s lip , w h ic h w id en s tow a rd s th e c om e r o f th e
m o u th , a n d fo ld s b a c k w h e n th e jaw s a re c lo s e d . T h e
g a p e e x te n d s b a c k to th e fro n t o f th e o rb it. T h e n o s trils
a re s itu a te d a s h o r t w a y b e fo re th e e y e , c lo s e to th e u p p e r
ed g e o f th e p re o rb ita r . F o r s te r s a y s , “ N a r e s in te r oculos
m in im m , o rb ic u la r e s , c o n tig u a ," b u t h e e v id e n tly m isto o k
fo r th em a sm a ll c lu s te r o f p o re s (fig. 10). T h e p r e o rb ita r s
a re b o rd e r e d w ilh p o re s , a n d th e re a re c lu s te r s o f o th e r s on
th e m a n d ib le a u d disk o f th e p re o p e rc u lum (v id e figs. 8 , 9 ,
10). T h e s e p a r ts , th e g ill-m em b ra n e , a n d th e is thm u s b e twe
en th e ey e , a r e s c a le le s s . M o d e ra te ly la rg e s c a le s co-
v e r th e e n tir e c h e e k , e x c e p t th e ve ry n a r row s u b o rb ita r
c h a i n : th e o p e r c u lum , s u b o p e rc u lum a n d in te ro p e rc u lum
a re a lso d e n s e ly sc a ly . T h e b o n e s o f th e g ill-c o v e r a re
th in , sm o o th a n d tr a n s p a r e n t. T h e o p e rc u lum is tr ia n g u la
r , a n d ta p e r s p o s te r io r ly to a p o in t, w h ic h sh ow s lik e a
m in u te sp in e am o n g th e sc a le s , a t th e u p p e r p a r t o f th e
g ill-co v e r, c lo se to th e su p ra - s c a p u la r s . T h e s u b o p e r c u lum
is c o n s id e ra b ly la rg e r in a ll its d im e n s io n s , a n d h a s a
sm o o th c o n v e x su rfa c e , w ith a ta p e r in g p o in t, fo rm in g th e
a p e x o f th e g ill-co v e r, a n d is n o t s c a ly lik e th e r e s t o f th e
g ill-fla p (fig. 9). T h e g ill-o p e n in g is am p le , ru n n in g fo rw
a rd o u e a c h s id e o f th e n a p e , a n d a lso b e n e a th , to th e
ro o t o f th e to n g u e . T h e g ill-m em b ra n e , w h ic h is to le r a b ly
la rg e , is com p le te ly c o n c e a le d w h e n th e j aw s a re c lo s e d b y
th e a p p ro a c h in g lim b s o f th e m a n d ib le a n d s c a ly in te r o
p e rc u lum . I t s ra y s a re lo n g , s le n d e r a n d cm v e d .
T h e te e th a r e s h o r t a n d s e ta c e o u s . T h e y s ta n d in a
b a n d fo u r o r five d e e p o n th e p r em a x illa r ie s a n d m a n d ib u la
r b o n e s ; a lso in a sm a ll ir r e g u la r tu f t o n e a ch ex te rio r
c o rn e r o f th e e n d o f th e v om e r, th e m e s ia l sp a c e b e in g
sm o o th . T h e y a re c row d ed o u th e p h a ry n g e a ls , fo rm in g a
h em isp h e r ic a l c lu s te r o u e a c h u p p e r b o n e , a n d a m o re flat
d e n ia l su rfa c e on th e low e r one s. T h e r e a rc n o te e th on
th e is thm u s o f th e g ills o r o n th e to n g u e . T h e r a k e r s o f th e
b r a n c h ia l a r c h e s a re se ssile k n o b s . W i th in th e m o u th , b e fore
th e vom e r, th e re a re tw o p rom in e n t k n o b s , w h ic h a re
e a c h fo rm ed b y a cu sh io n o f in te g um e n t, c o v e rin g a sh o rt
tu b u la r p ro c e s s o f th e m a x illa ry w h ich ru n s b e n e a th th e
p r em a x illa ry p e d ic le .
T h e s c a le s a re m o d e ra te ly la rg e , a n d o f a n irre g u la r,
sem i-o v a te fo rm , m o s t o f th em h a v in g a n a c u te p o in t in
th e m id d le o f th e free e d g e , a n d b e in g c u t tran sv e rs e ly a t
th e b a s e b y a w av in g lin e , w h ic h p ro d u c e s a v e ry sha llow
m id d le lo b e . T h e r e a re from e ig h te e n to twelve fan -lik e
stri® o n th e b a s e , w h ich d o n o t p ro d u c e c r e n a tu r e s on th e
m a rg in , T h e free e d g e is p e r f e c tly e n tire . T h e lin e s o f
s tru c tu r e a re n e a r ly o b so le te o n th e d isk , fine a n d tr a n s v
e rs e b e h in d , a n d lo n g itu d in a l in a tr ia n g u la r sp a c e o n th e
s id e s , w h e re th e y a re a lso m o re ev id en t. T h e s c a le s o f th e
la te r a l lin e (fig. 12), w h ich is s tr a ig h t o r w ith a s lig h t
d e s c e n t in th e h um e ra l re g io n , h a v e a s h o r t m e sia l tu b e ,
a n d th e ir fre e ed g e s a re l a c in i a t e d : th e re a re from fo rty -
fo u r lo fo r ty - e ig h t s c a le s o n th is lin e , th e sp e c im en figured
h a v in g forty-four.
T h e p e c to r a ls a re o v a l a n d ro u n d e d . T h e e llip tic a l,
a c u te p o in te d v e n tra ls a re a tta c h e d b e fo re th e v e n tra ls u n d
e r th e su p e r io r a n g le o f th e g i ll-o p e n in g ; th e i r sh o rt
s le n d e r s p in e h a s a fle x ib le lip . T h e s c a ly sp a c e be tw e en
th em e x c e e d s th e w id th o f o n e o f th e ir b a s e s in b r e a d th ,
a n d th e ir tip s w h e n la id b a c k to u c h th e f ir s t a n a l ray.
T h e d o rs a l, c om m e n c in g n e a r ly o v e r th e m id d le o f th e
p e c to r a ls , a n d e x te n d in g to w ith in a s h o r t d is ta n c e o f th e
c a u d a l fin, h a s a n ev en o u tlin e ; th e p o s te r io r ra y s , h ow e
v e r, b e c om in g g ra d u a lly som ew h a t sh o rte r. T h e th ird o r
fo u rth r a y s ta n d s o v e r th e an u s . A ll th e r a y s a re jo in te d ,
ta p e r in g a n d fle x ib le , e x c e p t o ne o r two o f th e m id d le
o n e s , wh ich a re s p lit a t th e tip , a n d th e la s t, w h ich is
forked. T h e a n a l c om m e n c e s c lo se to th e an u s , is n o t
q u ite so h ig h a s th e d o rs a l, a n d is a lso su p p o r te d b y jo in te d
ra y s , th e first o n e b e in g u n b r a n c h e d , a n d th e o th e rs u n i la
te ra lly b ra n c h e d a t th e ir tip s . T h e m em b r a n e o f b o th
fins is v e ry d e lic a te a n d re a d ily to rn , a n d w a s n o t com p le te
in a n y o f o u r sp e c im e n s . T h e c a u d a l is com p o s e d o f e ig h t
fo rk ed ra y s , a n d fo u r g ra d u a te d n n b r a n c h e d o n e s above
a n d th r e e b e low . T h e r a y s b e in g ve ry b r ittle th e fin is
e a s ily m u tila te d , a n d c o n s e q u e n tly some u n c e r ta in ty e x is ts
a s to i t s p ro p e r form. F o r s te r drew i t a s b e in g lu n a te a t
th e e n d ; D r. D ie ffe n b a c h a s b e in g tru n c a te d , w ith an
e lo n g a tio n o f th e u p p e r a n g l e ; a n d in o u r sp e c im e n s it a p p
e a rs ro u n d , b u t is n o t pe rfe c t.
F o r s te r d e s c r ib e s th e b o d y a s b e in g c o lo u re d o f a livid
re d ; th e d o rs a l a s b e in g m a rk e d with s c a tte r e d r e d sp o ts ,
a n d th e o th e r fins a s r e d d ish ; th e iris red d ish a n d s ilve ry.
D r . D ie fle n b a c h ’s sk e tc h , wh ich is iin fin islied , is c o lo u re d
w ax -y e llow , w ith five o b liq u e b lu e s tre a k s o n th e ch e ek ,
a n d som e b lu e s tr e a k s iu b lo tc h e s o u th e s id e s ; p u rp lish
a n d re d lin e s on th e d o rs a l a n d e d g e o f th e a n a l ; th e re s t
o f th e la tte r fin, th e p e c to r a ls a n d v e n tra ls , b e in g a u ro ra -re d .
T h e s tom a c h is a n o v a l s a c , w ith th e p y lo r ic o rific e o f
th e in te s tin e s itu a te d o n e - lh ird o f its h e ig h t from th e fu n dus.
T h e g u t is sh o r t, fo ld in g o n ly o n c e in its w ay to th e
a n u s , a n d th e r e a re n o cæ c a . T h e s u p r a -o c c ip ila l h a s a
th in c r e s t b e h in d , e x te n d in g a s fa r b a c k a s th e co rn e rs o f
th e p a r -o c c ip ita ls , wh ich p ro je c t so a s to p ro d u c e a n a n g u la
r n o tc h in th e o c c ip u t. T h e to p o f t h e sk u ll is sm o o th
and fla tly roundeçl. T h e la rg e o v a l o rb its a re s e p a r a te d
by a n a r row b rid g e , w h ic h is c o n c a v e , fo rm in g a fu rrow ;
a n d th e m a rg in o f t h e o rb it b e n e a th is com p le te d b y th e
narrow, tu b u la r , su b o rb ita r c h a in . T h e n e a r ly q u a d r a n la l
p re o rb ita r is tr a v e r s e d b y s ev e ra l r a d ia tin g fla t e lev a tio n s ,
which a re h o llow b e n e a th . T h e p re o p e rc u lum is c u rv e d
to r a th e r l e s s th a n a r ig h t an g le : its lowe r lim b is som e wh
a t lo n g e r th a n th e u p p e r o n e , a n d its e d g e is p e rfe c tly
smooth. T h e r e a re te n a b d om in a l v e rte b ræ a n d th ir ty -
seven c a u d a l one s : th e p l e u r a p o p b y s ia l p ro c e s s e s o f th e
former a re m e re a n g le s . T h e in fe rio r p ro c e s s e s in th e
c au d a l v e rte b ræ a re s le n d e r a n d s u b u la te , lik e th e n e u r a l
sp in e s, o f a ll th e co lum n .
L e n g th from (i to 8 o r 9 in c h e s .
H a b . C o a s ts o f N ew Z e a la n d . W a n g a ro a B a y . C o o k ’s
S tra it. Q u e e n C h a r lo tte S o u n d .
Chironectes caudimacdl.atus. R iip p e ll.
Chironecies caudimai-ulatus, R u p p e ll, Neu e Wiillj. p . 141, T ab . 33,
fig. 2.
Radii D. 1 -1 -1 -1 3 ; A. 7 ; C. 9 ; P . 9 ; V. 5.
P la te L X ., figs. 8 , 9.
N o tw ith s ta n d in g som e s lig h t d iffe ren c e s in fo rm , as
shown b y th e d raw in g s , I h a v e v e n tu re d to re fe r th is fish
to th e c n u d irn a c u la lu s o f R ü p p e ll, o n a c c o u n t o f th e c lose
a c co rd an c e o f h is d e s c rip tio n , a n d th e g e n e ra l re s em b la n c e
o f h is figure . T h e d iffe ren c e s to w h ich I a llu d e a re , th e
d iffe rent p o s itio n s o f th e f irs t d o r s a l ra y , w h ic h in o u r
sp e c im en is v e ry n e a r th e u p p e r Up, a n d d e c id e d ly before
th e eye, w h ile iii th e N e u e W lr le b e lh ie r e it is re p r e s e n te d as
over th e o rb it, a n d c lo s e to th e b a s e o f th e s e c o n d ra y . I f
th is b e n o t a n e rro r in th e d e lin e a tio n o f th e A rab ian fish,
it may b e c o n s id e r e d a s an in d ic a tio n o f a sp e c ific d is tin c tio
n . T h e m em b ra n o u s f ilam e n t was b ro k en in th e sp e c im
en R ü p p e ll h a s fig u red , so th a t th e form o f t h a t p a r t in
o u r figure is to b e c o n s id e re d a s th e c o rre c t o ne . A
s lig h te r d iffe ren c e o f form is th e g r e a te r h e ig h t o f th e
se cond a n d th ird d o rs a l ra y s in R iip p e ll’s fish , b u t th is I
a ttr ib u te lo th e s e p a r ts b e in g sh riv e lle d in o u r e x am p le ,
which is a d rie d o ne . T h e a n a l a u d d o rs a l a re c o n n e c te d
b y m em b ran e c lo s e to th e b a s e o f th e c a u d a l in th e A u s tra
lia n fish, w h ile th e re is a p o rtio n o f th e t ru n k o f th e ta il
free in th e A rabian o n e ; a n d th e sp o ts a re r e p r e s e n te d a s
mere p o in ts , in s te a d o f th e m e a n d e rin g a n d an a s tom o s in g
lin e s well e x h ib ite d in o u r fig u re . As th e r e is great_ v a rie
ty in th e m a rk in g s o f in d iv id u a ls o f th e sam e sp e c ie s in
th is g e n u s , I h a v e n o t s e p a r a te d th e A u s tra lia n fish from
c a u d in ia c u la tu s , on th e la tte r a c c o u n t ; a n d som e o f th e
o th e r d iffe re n c e s m a y b e fa irly a t tr ib u te d to th e d iffe ren t
c o n d itio n o f th e in d iv id u a ls w h en s k e tc h e d , a s th e la x ity
o f th o in te g um e n ts in a fre sh s p e c im e n a dm its o f th e form
b e in g v a rie d , b y th e ir s tr e tc h in g in d iffe re n t d ire c tio n s .
T h e d is tr ib u tio n o f th e d a rk lin e s a n d o th e r m a rk in g s is
d iffe ren t from th a t w h ic h c h a r a c te r is e s C. h is p id u s a n d
o th e r In d ia n s p e c ie s d e s c r ib e d in th e H is to ir e d e s P o isso n s.
C. fu r c i p i l i s h a s tw o sp o ts o n th e fins.
I n o u r e x am p le o f ca u d im n cu laV u s , th e f ir s t fre e d o r s a l
ra y is s le n d e r, fle x ib le , sm o o th , u n jo iu te d , a n d tip p e d
w ith a th in b if id m em b ra n e . I t sp r in g s from a sm a ll tu b
e r c le s itu a te d ab o v e th e n o s tr ils , a n d ro u g h lik e th e a d jo
in in g in le g um e n ts . T h e s e c o n d a n d th i rd r a y s a re
c o v e re d w ith th e p r ic k ly sk in , w h ic h e n tir e ly co n c e a ls
th em , a n d fo rm s o f th em tw o o b tu s e r id g e s o r h um p s ,
ro u g h lik e th e a d jo in in g p a r ts o f th e b a c k . T h e fo rem o s t
o f th e s e h um p s is a l ittle free a t tho t o p ; th e o th e r is
b o u n d d ow n to th e b a c k i t s wh o le le n g th . T h e forms of
th e o th e r fins will b e e a s ily u n d e r s to o d from th e figure s.
T h e sk in is ro u g h lo th e to u c h ov e r th e w h o le fish, a n d
wh en e x am in e d c lo s e ly a p p e a r s to b e eq u a lly s tu d d e d w ilh
ve ry sm a ll h em isp h e ric a l em in e n c e s , wh ich , a lo n g th e la te
r a l lin e , th e sp a c e b e tw e e n i t a n d th e d o rs a l, on th e to p
o f .th e h e a d , th e sn o u t, u p p e r jaw , p r e o p e r c u lum , ro u n d th e
o rb its a n d o n th e ra y s o f th e fin s , e a c h s u p p o r t a m in u te ,
r ig id , b ifid sp in e , ve ry ra re ly a I r if id o n e . A lo n g th e b a c k ,
th e s e m in u te sp im ile s lo o k lik e s h o r t h a ir s to th e n a k e d
ey e . B e low th e la te r a l lin e , o n ly a ve ry few s p in e s c a n b e
d e te c te d , b u t th e little em in e n c e s a re m a n y o f th em su rm
o u n te d b y a p o in t o f m em b ra n e . B y d is s e c tio n e a c h
em in e n c e is fo u n d to b e b a s e d on a th in c ir c u la r s c a le ,
w ilh a n e x c e n tr ic um b o , from w h ich a few w rin k le s r a d ia te ;
b u t th e re a re n o fan -lik e furrows, a n d th e lin e s o f s tru c tu r e
c a n n o t b e m ad e o u t w ith a sim p le le n s o f h ig h p ow e r.
T h e m a rg in o f t h e s c a le is q u ite e n tir e . T h e la te r a l lin e
ru n s , a s d e s c r ib e d in th e N e u e W ir lb e th ie r e , from th e
sym p h y s is o f th e u p p e r jaw , ov e r th e ey e a n d a lo n g th e
b a c k , in a n u n d u la tin g m a n n e r, lo th e m id d le o f th e d o r s
a l, w h e re i t en d s . T h r o u g h o u t its whole le n g th i t em its
s h o r t v e r tic a l b r a n c h e s , w h ich a re m o s t co n sp ic u o u s on
th e fa c e a n d s c a p u la r re g io n , a n d i t is a lso fu rn ish e d
with sh o rt filam e n ts ; a few m em b ra n o u s b a rb e ls a re s c a t te
r e d o v e r th e s id e s , a n d o n e is a p p e n d e d to th e c h in o r
e x te rn a l p ro je c tio n be tw e en th e lim b s o f th e m a n d ib le ,
p ro d u c e d b y tb e d e p re s s io n o f th e to n g u e . T lie r e is a
p rom in e n c e a t th e sym p h y s is o f th e m a n d ib le , w h ic h is
m e n tio n e d b y D r. R u p p e ll. T h e te e lh o n th e j aw s , v om e r
a n d u p p e r a n d u n d e r p h a ry n g e a ls a re in c a rd - lik e p a tc h e s ,
th e p h a ry n g e a ls b e in g b e s t a rm e d , a n d th e vom e r le a s t so.
T h e ch ev ro n o f th e la tte r is s a d d le - s h a p e d , th e m e s ia l h o llow
b e in g sm o o th , a u d th e s id e em in e n c e s fu rn ish e d w ith
sm a ll p a tc h e s o f te e th . T h e e y e d sp o ts o n th e ta il a re
tr a n s p a r e n t in th e d r ie d fish.
L e n g th 4 ^ in c h e s .
H a b . C o a s ts o f A u s tra lia . R e d Sea.