L a b r u s t e t r i c u s , v e l 1 'a u t o q a t é t r i c a . R i c h a r d s o n .
Lahrus tetrious, Richardson, Zool. Traus. iii. p. 136.
R-ADu:— B . 6 ; D . 9 | l l ; A. 3 |1 0 ; C . U ; P . 1 3 ; V 1|5.
P la te L V ., figs. 1— 4.
I n th e Z o o lo g ic a l T r a n s a c tio n s , a s ab o v e q u o te d , I
d e s c r ib e d th is s p e c ie s a n d th re e o th e r Z a iW fo rm in g p a r t
o f a c o lle c lio u o f fish m a d e a t P o r t A r th u r , V a n D iem e n 's
L a n d , b y A s s is ta n l-C o r am is s a ry -G e n e r a l L em p rie re . O f
th e s e lo u r fish I th e r e rem a rk e d , th a t “ th e y a r e a ll tru e
Ija b r iy a n d b e a r a g e n e r a l re s em b la n c e to th e L . b e rgijlta
o f th e H i s to i r e d e s P o is so n s , b u t th e s c a le s w h ich c lo th e
th e ir o p e r c u la , th o u g h in f a c t m u c h la rg e r th a n in th a t
sp e c ie s , b e in g im b e d d e d in a m u c o u s sk in , a re s c a rc e ly
d is c e rn ib le in th e r e c e n t sp e c im en . T h e o p e r c u la r sc a le s
o v e rlie th e ju n c t io n o f th e su b o p e rc u lum , a s in m a n y E u ro
p e a n sp e c ie s , le a v in g h ow e v e r th e g r e a te r p a r t o f th e
la tte r b o n e n a k e d . T h e r e a re n o s c a le s w h a tev e r on th e
in te ro p e r c u lum , m w h ich r e s p e c t th e s e w ra sse s d iffe r from
L . b e rg y lta , m i x iu s , tr im a c u la tu s a n d fu rd u s . T h e s c a le s
o f th e c h e e k a re sm a ll, a n d a s th e ir d is tr ib u tio n v a rie s th e y
fu rn ish u s w ith a r e a d y m e a n s o f d is tin g u is h in g th e sp e c ie s
Irom e a c h o th e r . I n a ll th e fo u r, th e te e th a re lo n g e r a n d
s tro n g e r a t th e sym p h y s e s o f th e jaw s th a n in L . b e rg y lta
o r m i x i u s ; a n d th e p o s te rio r o n e s b e in g sm a ll, ih e ir d im in
u tio n is m o re r a p id , a s in th e g e n u s J u l i s . T h e y re s em b
le T a u to g a in p o s s e s s in g a p r e tty r e g u la r in te r io r row o f
m in u te t e e th . A ll h a v e a c a n in e to o th a t th e an g le o f th e
m o u th d ir e c te d forwa rds. T h e p r e o rb ita r lip s a re n o t
g re a tly d e v e lo p e d , a n d do n o t c o n c e a l th e sw e llin g p la ite d
o n e s o f th e u p p e r jaw . T h e low e r lip fo ld s b a c k in a
r o u n d e d p l a i t o n e a c h lim b o f th e j aw . T h e m a x illa r ie s
h e u n d e r th e p r e o rb ita r s , th e ir low e r e n d s c om in g o u t w h en
th e m o u th is o p e n . I n th e n um b e r o f th e ir fin r a y s th e y
a g r e e n e a r ly w ith L . p a c ilo p le iir a o f N ew Z e a la n d , a n d
th e i r d o rs a l fin s h a v e m o re so ft r a y s th a n s p in e s , in w h ich
r e s p e c t th e y d iffe r from th e E u ro p e a n w ra sse s.”
L a b r u s te tr ic u s h a s a sh o rt a n d r a th e r b lu f f h e a d , w h ic h
is o n ly o n e -fo u rth o f th e to ta l le n g th , c a u d a l in c lu d e d .
T h e h e ig h t o f th e o c c ip u t e q u a ls th e le n g th o f t h e h e a d ,
a n d th a t o f th e t a il b e tw e e n th e th re e v e r tic a l fins is n e a r ly
o n e h a l f o f th e h e ig h t o f th e b o d y a t th e p e c to ra ls . T h e
g i-e a te st 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 fou r-
f ifth s in th e w h o le le n g ih , o r le s s th a n fo u r tim e s . T h e
h e a d is c lo th e d w ith a p o ro u s sk in , w h ic h co n c e a ls th e
b o n e s a n d s c a le s in th e r e c e n t f i s h ; b u t a s th e in te g u m
e n ts d ry , th e c ra n ium , p r e o rb ita r , m a rg in o f th e o rb it a n d
p re o p e r c u la r d isk , b e c om e p rom in e n t, ro u g h a n d ir re g u la r.
F o u r v e r tic a l rows o f la rg e th in s c a le s , a b o u t h a l f th e s iz e
o f th e s c a le s o f th e b o d y , c o v e r tb e o p e rc u lum a n d two-
th ird s o f th e su b o p e rc u lum : th e la rg e in te ro p e r c u lum ,
w h ich is r e n d e r e d w id e r b y a m em b ra n o u s e d g e , a n d th e
b ro a d d is k o f th e p re o p e rc u lum , w h ic h h a s a lso a th in
m em b r a n o u s fre e b o rd e r , a re n a k e d ; w ith th e e x c e p tio n
o f th r e e row s o f v e ry sm a ll d e e p ly -im b e d d e d sc a le s , w h ic h
d e s c e n d from th e tem p le s , c lo s e to th e in n e r e d g e o f th e
p r e o p e r c u la r d isk , a s fa r a s its c u rv e : th e la rg e c h e e k is
a lso s c a le le s s , b u t v e ry p o ro u s . T h e p r e o rb ita r , w ith its
m em b r a n o u s b o rd e r o r lip , is b u t little in fe rio r in w id th to
th e sp a c e b e tw e e n th e o rb i t a n d u p p e r a n g le o f th e g ill-
o p e n in g . T h e p r e o rb ita r lip s h a v e a free ed g e a t th e ir
u n io n ov e r th e p r em a x illa ry p e d ic le s . T h e p r em a x ill
a ry lip s a re th ic k , a n d p la ite d in to sev en o r e ig h t sha llow
fo ld s , th e in n e r fo ld b e in g s tu d d e d w ith m in u te w a rt-lik e
p a p illæ .
T h e r e a re e lev en te e th o n e a c h p r em a x illa ry b o n e , e x c
lu s iv e o f a s to u t c a n in e to o th s ta n d in g fo rw a rd s from th e
a n g le o f th e m o u th , a n d im p la n te d in to th e tip o f th e sam e
b o n e . T h e m a n d ib u la r te e lh a re a lso e le v e n in e a ch
lim b j a n d o n b o th j aw s th e re is a s in g le se rie s o f m in u te
in te r io r t e e th , w h ic h a re v is ib le e n o u g h in th e d r ie d sp e c
im e n , b u t c a n s c a rc e ly b e d e te c te d in th e r e c e n t o ne .
In te r io r te e th o f t h e sam e d e s c r ip tio n e x is t in m a n y o f th e
E u ro p e a n L a b r i, b u t th e y a re s e ld om d isp o s e d in su ch
r e g u la r ro w s ; a n d a s th is in n e r d e n ta l s e rie s is o ne o f th e
p r in c ip a l c h a r a c te r s o f T a u to g a , th e A u s tr a lia n L a b ro id s
h e r e d e s c r ib e d o u g h t p e rh a p s to b e re fe rre d to th a t g enus.
I t is to be_ o b se rv ed , h ow eve r, th a t th e s p e c ie s w e sh a ll
h a v e to n o tic e h a v e th e g ill-co v e rs more e x te n s iv e ly s c a ly
th a n th e T a u to g a o f th e H is to ir e d e s P o is so n s , a n d d iffe r
from th e E u ro p e a n L a b r i chie fly in th e in te ro p e r c u lum
b e in g n a k e d . T h e te e th o f t e tr ic u s a re d isp o s e d in
s tr a ig h t lin e s , so th a t w h e n th e o p e n m o u th is viewed iu
f ro n t th e y fo rm a r e c tilin e a r rh om b , d iffe rin g in th is
r e s p e c t from L . fu c i c o la , in w h ic h th e lin e s o f te e th a re
c o n v e x . T h e r e a re a b o u t th ir ty - s ix low e r p h a iy n g e a l
te e th , s ix c om p o s in g th e a n te r io r g ro u p , b e in g c o n ic a l-
s u b u la te ; th e r e s t a r e sm o o th a n d ro u n d e d g r in d e r s , o f
w h ic h th o b ig g e s t is th e p o s te r io r m e s ia l o ne . T h e r e a rc
a b o u t tw en ty -tw o o n e a c h u p p e r p h a ry n g e a l b o n e , tb e e x te rio
r o n e s b e in g m o re c o n ic a l a n d le s s w o rn th a n th e in te r io r
o n e s . T h e s c a le s co v e rin g th e b o d y a re la rg e a n d th in ,
w ith m em b ra n o u s ed g e s. T h e r e a re tw e n ty - s ix row s b e -
tw e e u th e g ill-o p e n in g a n d c a u d a l,b e s id e s th re e vows more
c row d e d o n th e b a s e s o f th e c a u d a l ra y s , a n d a f ille t o f
sm a ll s c a le s ru n n in g a s h o r t w ay o n th e m em b ra n e b e tw e e n
th e ra y s . T h e la te r a l lin e m a k e s a n a b ru p t d ow nw a rd
d e s c e n t, a little b e y o n d th e d o rs a l a n d a n a l, for th e e n tire
b r e a d th o f a s c a le , a u d th e n re sum e s its s tr a ig h t co u rse
th ro u g h th e c e n tre o f th e ta il. I t is m a rk e d o n e a c h s c a le
b y a s le n d e r u n d u la tin g tu b e , w h ic h su d d en ly b r a n c h e s b y
th r e e o r fo u r su c c e s s iv e b ifu rc a tio n s in a n a rb u s c u la r m a n n
e r . T h e n um b e r o f b r a n c h le ts d im in ish e s o n th e p o s te r
io r sc a le s . T h e fin e fa n -lik e s tre a k s on th e s c a le s are
a b o u t th ir ty in n um b e r.
T h e v e n tra l fin s a re p o in te d . T h e e le v e n th d o r s a l sp in e
e x c e e d s th e f ir s t in le n g th b y n e a r ly o n e - th ird , th e o th e rs
b e in g o f in te rm e d ia te h e ig h t : th e y a r e a ll o v e rto p p e d b y
little s tr ip s o f m em b ra n e . T h e so ft p o rtio n o f th e fin h a s
a s lig h tly - a r c h e d o u tlin e , som ew h a t h ig h e r th a n th e sp in e s ;
a n d th e an a l, s im ila r in fo rm , h a s s h o r te r sp in e s . T h e
sp in e s o f b o th fin s a re s le n d e r, su b u la te a n d a c u te . T h e
c a u d a l is ev e n a t th e e n d , o r, w h e n fu lly s p r e a d o u t, a l i t t
le ro u n d ed .
W h e n th e sp e c im en w a s ta k e n from th e sp ir its , th e soft
d o rsa l a n d a n a l a p p e a r e d very d a rk , th e o th e r fins y e llow ish
o r o ra n g e . T h e b o d y a lso lo o k e d d a rk , b u t o n d e ta c h in
g a s c a le from th e b a c k , th e m em b ra n o u s p o u c h wh ich
enc losed it, w a s fo u n d lo b e o f a liv e ly p u rp lish - r e d . All
tr a c e s o f c o lo u re d z o n e s o r sp o ts , i f a n y ev e r e x is te d , h a d
d is a p p e a re d . T h e sk in a n d m em b ra n e s g e n e r a lly we re
very to u g h , a n d th e fin -m em b ra n e s th ic k a n d o p a q u e .
T h e in te s tin a l c a n a l is a w id e tu b e , th e s tom a c h b e in g
o f a la rg e r d iam e te r th a n th e r e s t, a n d h a v in g i t s in te rn a l
co a t d e n s e ly v illo u s . T h e v illo u s p la its a re r e tic u la te d ,
a n d b e c om e m o re a n d m o re d e lic a te , u n til th e y d is a p p e a r
a lto g e th e r, le a v in g th e fo u ith p a r t o f th e tu b e n e x t th e
anus sm o o th . T h e f ir s t c a u d a l v e r te b r a h a s a n a rrow ly
lin e a r-la n c e o la te in fe rio r p ro c e s s , w ith a b ro a d th in sh o u ld
e r o r p la te o n e a c h s id e w h e re i t jo in s th e b o d y o f th e
ve rtebra . Tw o h o le s fo r th e p a s s a g e o f ve sse ls e x i s t in
th is p r o c e s s : e a c h o f th e su c c e e d in g in fe rio r p ro c e s s e s o f
th e sp in e h a v e o n ly o n e hole .
Mr. L em p r ie r e in fo rm s m e th a t th is w ra s s e a n d th e fo llow
in g o n e form a co a rs e fo o d , d is a g re e a b le lo some
p a la te s , b u t n o t u nw h o le som e . J u d g in g from th e c o n te n ts
o f th e ir s tom a c h s th e ir food c o n s is ts ch ie fly o f C ru sta c ea .
L e n g th 18 in c h e s .
I n a m a n u s c r ip t a c c o u n t o f th e fish o f A lb an y , K in g
G eorge ’s S o u n d , with d raw in g s b y D e p u ty A s s is ta n t-C o ra -
m is s a ry -G en e ra l P a tr ic k N e ill, b e lo n g in g to th e B r itis h
Museum, I o b s e rv e d a L a b ro id w h ich is n am e d “ brown
ro c k fish ” b y th e s e a le rs , a n d “ p o k o n g ” b y th e n a tiv e s ,
w h ich h a s m u c h re s em b la n c e in form to L . te tr ic u s . T h e
d raw in g is c o lo u r e d d a rk b la c k ish -g r e e n o n th e u p p e r
p a rts a n d c h e s ln u l-b row n b e low , w ith a b o u t n in e o b s cu re
dark b a n d s c ro s s in g th e b a c k , a n d th r e e o r four o n th e
he ad. T h e p e c to r a ls a n d c a u d a l a re d a r k ; th e v en lra ls ,
an a l a n d d o rs a l b row n ish . T h e d raw in g is n o t fin ish e d
minute ly.
H a b . T a sm a n ia .
L a b r u s f u c i c o l a , v e l T a u t o g a f u c i c o l a . R ic h a rd so n .
Labrus fucicola, Ricliai'dson, Zool. Proceed., June 25,1839. Zool.
Traus. iii. p. 137.
R a d i i :— B . 6 ; D . 9 1 1 1 ; A . S j lO ; C . 1 4 ; P . 1 3 ; V. l ! 5 .
P la t e L IV ., figs. 1, 2.
I n th is sp e c ie s th e b o n e s o f th e h e a d a re le s s u n ev en
th a n in L . te tr ic u s , a n d th e o p e r c u la r sc a le s a re m o re ir r e g
u la r, some sm a ll ro u n d o n e s b e in g s c a tte re d am o n g th e
la rg e r one s. T h e ch e e k , a s fa r fo rw a rd as th e fo re p a r t o f
th e eye, a n d n e a r to th e a n g le o f th e m o u th , is p ro te c te d
b y four rows o f sm a ll sc a le s , th e u p p e rm o s t o f w h ich ru n s
c iose to th e n a rrow s u b o rb ita r c h a in , a n d th e low e r o n e is
more d is ta n t from th e p r e o p e r c u la r d isk th a n in te tr ic u s .
As th e s c a le s r is e b e fo re th e v e rtic a l lim b o f th e p r e o p e r culura
tow a rd s th e tem p le s th e y a re re s tric te d to th re e
rows. T h e s c a le s c o v e rin g th e b o d y a re a little sm a lle r
th a n in th e s p e c ie s j u s t n am e d , a n d th e la te r a l lin e , w h ic h
m a k e s th e sam e a lm o s t v e r tic a l d ip a t th e e n d o f th e d o r sa
l, is tr a c e d o n tw e n ty - s e v e n sc a le s , in a d d itio n to w h ic h
th e r e a r e fo u r rows o n th e b a s e o f th e c a u d a l ray s , e x c lu siv
e o f th e s h o r t s c a ly fille ts b e tw e e n th e r a y s . T h e d iv isio
n s o f th e m u co u s tu b e o n th e s c a le s o f th e la te r a l lin e
(fig. 2 ) a re le s s n um e ro u s a n d b u s h - lik e th a n in te tr ic u s .
T h e te e th a re c om p a ra tiv e ly s tro n g e r , a n d a re_ d isp o sed in
ve ry s lig h tly c o n v e x , n o t s tr a ig h t lin e s , w h ic h giv e s a
g r e a te r fu lln e s s to th e u p p e r jaw w h e n v iew ed in f ro n t o r
from ab o v e , a n d le s s o f th e r e c tilin e a r rh om b o id form w h ich
c h a r a c te r is e s th e d e n ta l a r r a n g em e n t o f te tr ic u s a n d m a n y
sp e c ie s o f J u l i s . T h e c a n in e to o th a t th e a n g le o f th e
m o u th is s lig h tly cu rv e d , a n d th e in te r io r rows o f sm a ll
te e th a re m o re ev id e n t th a n in te tr ic u s . T h e c a u d a l is
c o n s id e ra b ly ro u n d e d a t th e e n d , th e a n a l is som ew h a t
a rc b e d , a n d th e fore p a r t o f th e soft d o r s a l is a little h ig h e r
th a n its p o s te rio r p a r t. T h e d o rs a l a n d a n a l s p in e s a re
s im ila r in fo rm a n d p ro p o r tio n s lo th o s e o f te tr ic u s .
T h e o n ly tr a c e s o f th e o rig in a l m a rk in g s r em a in in g iii
th e sp e c im e n s when re c e iv ed w e re som e fa in t lin e s c u rv in g
o v e r th e c h e e k a n d n o s e , a d a rk b a r c ro s s in g th e p e c to r a l
a t a th ird o f its le n g th , a n d a b la c k s p o t a t th e b a s e o f t h a t
fiu a u d o n its firs t ray.
T h is sp e c ie s p o s s e s s e s n in e a b d om in a l v e rte b ræ a n d s ix te
e n c a u d a l o n e s . T h e f irs t o f t h e la tte r d ifie rs from th e
c o rr e sp o n d in g o ne o f th e p r e c e d in g sp e c ie s in its in fe rio r
p ro c e s s , h a v in g a n a c u te s h o u ld e r in s te a d o f a ro u n d e d
o n e , in its lim b b e in g n a rrow ly lin e a r, n o t la n c e o la te , a n d
in its low e r o p e n in g b e in g e llip tic a l a n d m u c h la rg e r th a n
th e ro u n d o ne n e x t th e c e n tr um o f th e ve rteb ra .
L e n g th o f tw o s p e c im e n s p ro c u r e d a t P o r t A r th u r , l l j
a n d 15 in c h e s .
A d raw in g o f a w ra s s e , m a d e a t th e p o r t j u s t n am e d , b y
a c o n v ic t u n d e r D r. L h o tsk y ’s in s p e c tio n , a n d c lo s e ly r e s
em b lin g th is sp e c ie s , re p re s e n ts th e g e n e ra l c o lo u r o f th e
u p p e r p a r ts a s d a rk p lum -p u rp le , th e b e lly f a d in g to buff,
w ith fo u r p a le sp o ts o n th e b a c k , o n e o f th em o n th e s u p r a s
c a p u la r , a n o th e r c lo s e to th e e ig h th sp in o u s r a y o f th e
d o rs a l, a n d tw o o th e rs to u c h in g th e b a s e o f th e so ft d o rs a l,
th e d i s ta n c e s b e tw e e n th e th r e e p o s te r io r o n e s b e in g e q u a l.
O u r fig u re in P la te L IV ., b e in g e x e c u te d from a d rie d
s p e c im e n , shows th e lip s le s s fu lly d e v e lo p e d , e sp e c ia lly
th e p re o rb ita r o u e s , th a n in th e r e c e n t fish ; a n d th e a rtis t,
f a n c y in g th a t h e c o u ld d is tin g u is h th e p a le sp o ts u n d e r
th e d o rs a l, h a s in tro d u c e d th em , b u t h e h a s om itte d th e
b a r o n th e p e c to r a l w h ic h r em a in s in th e d r ie d fish.
T h e L a b ro id re p r e s e n te d in N o . 9 o f D . A. C. G . N e ill’s
d raw in g s , a lre a d y q u o te d , is p ro b a b ly th is sp e c ie s . I t is
c a lle d b y th e s e a le rs th e “ com m o n ro c k fish ,” b y th e n a tiv
e s “ p a r il,” a n d is s a id to b e very com m o n o n ro c k y
s h o re s a n d to ta k e th e h o o k re ad ily .
H a b . C o a s ts o f T a sm a n ia a n d S o u th A u s tra lia .
A n o th e r o f M r. N e ill’s d raw in g s m ay a lso b e n o tic e d
h e re . I t is n um b e re d 37, a n d is n am e d “ b la c k fish ” b y
th e se a le rs , a n d “ p a r il,” “ k u h o u l ” o r “ b im b iirn ” b y th e
n a tiv e s . I t is c o n s id e r e d b y M r. N e ill to b e a v a rie ty o f
th e “ com m o n p a r i l ” a b o v e m e n tio n e d , is s ta te d b y him lo
b e a lso a n in h a b ita n t o f r o c k y sh o re s , a n d to g row to some
s iz e . I t is m o s t p ro b a b ly a d is tin c t sp e c ie s o f th e g en u s
L a b r u s o r T a u to g a . M r. N e ill’s figure is c o lo u re d d a rk