n e u tr a l tin t, p a le r tow a rd s th e b e lly , a n d n e a rly b la c k on
th e to p o f th e h e a d , s id e s a n d fins. I t is th ic k ly a n d ir r e g
u la r ly s p e c k le d d ow n to th e m id d le o f th e h e ig h t o f th e
b o d y a n d h e a d w ilh ru s t- c o lo u r e d d o ts , w h ic h a re la rg e s t
on th e b a c k , a n d m u c h sm a lle r on th e s id e s , th e r e b e in g
m a n y on e a c h s c a le . T h e r e a re n o s p o ts o n th e fins. T h e
sp o ttin g o f th is fish c o rre sp o n d s in som e r e s p e c ts w ilh th e
L . fie c ilo p le u r a o f N ew Z e a la n d {H is i. des P o is s . x iii.
p . 95), a n d i t is p o s s ib le t h a t th e d raw in g m ay b e d e s ig n ed
to r e p r e s e n t th a t s p e c ie s , b u t th e g en e ra l t in t a p p e a r s to
b e m u c h d a rk e r.
H .ad. K in g G e o rg e ’s S o u n d .
L abrus laticlavius, v e l T.autoga laticlavia.
R ic h a rd s o n .
Labrus latíclavius, Ricbardson, Zool. Proceed., March 10, 1840.
Zool. Trans, iii. p. 139.
R adii B . 5 ; D . 9 |1 1 ; A . 3 |1 0 ; C. 1 2 4 ; P- 12 ; V. 1|5.
P l a t e L V I ., figs. 3— 6 .
T h i s ve ry h a n d s om e w ra s s e s e ld om e x c e e d s a fo o t in
le n g th , h a s a m o re e le g a n t form th a n th e th r e e s p e c ie s
w e h a v e a lr e a d y d e s c r ib e d , a n d com e s n e a r e r to T a u to g a
in h a v in g few e r s c a le s o n th e c h e e k . I t s g en e ra l a sp e c t is
th a t o f a J u l i s . T h e h e a d is n e a t a n d sm a ll, its le n g th b e in
g c o n ta in e d fo u r tim e s a n d n e a r ly o n e h a l f in th e to ta l
le n g th , c a u d a l in c lu d e d . T h e m em b ra n o u s flap o f th e
g ill-c o v e r is p ro d u c e d so a s to form a ro u n d e d lo b e , which
e x te n d s n e a r ly its ow n b r e a d th b e y o n d th e s u p e rio r a t ta
c hm e n t o f th e o p e rc u lum . I n L . te tr ic u s , fu c i c o la a n d
in s c r ip tu s , th e o p e rc u lum is jo in e d to th e s h o u ld e r b y a
m em b r a n o u s p ro d u c tio n , w h ic h re d u c e s th e g ill-o p e n in g to
a v e r tic a l s lit, n o t a c u rv e d o n e a s in th e p r e s e n t sp e c ie s .
T h e s c a le s w h ic h co v e r th e o p e rc u lum a n d p a r t o f th e
s u b o p e r c u lum a re th in a n d la rg e , a n d a v e r tic a l row o f s ix
sm a ll s c a le s d e s c e n d s from th e tem p le s , b e fo re th e lim b
o f th e p r e o p e r c u lum , n o t q u ite to its cu rv e , th e r e s t o f
th e c h e e k b e in g n a k e d . T h e in te g um e n ts o f th e h e a d
a re le s s sp o n g y a n d p o ro u s th a n in (he L a b r i a lre a d y
d e s c r ib e d , a n d th e g ill-m em b ra n e is n a rrow . T h e re a re
e lev en te e th o n e a c h s id e o f e a c h j aw , w ith a to le ra b ly
s tro n g c a n in e to o th a t th e an g le o f th e m o u th : th e in n e r
row o f sm a ll te e th is a b o u t a s n um e ro u s a s th e o u te r o ne ,
a n d in th e d r ie d s p e c im e n th e y a re to le r a b ly p rom in e n t,
e s p e c ia lly in th e u p p e r jaw . T h e r e a re a b o u t forty-five
te e th in th e lowe r p h a ry n g e a l b o n e , a n d tw e n ty in e a c h o f
th e u p p e r o n e s (figs. 6 , 6 ).
T h e s c a le s o f th e b o d y h a v e e q u a lly th in m em b ra n o u s
e d g e s w ilh th o s e o f te tr ic u s a n d fu c i c o la , b u t th e ir fan -lik e
s tre a k s a re m o re s tro n g ly d e v e lo p e d . T h e la te r a l lin e is
c om p o s e d o f tw e n ty - s ix sc a le s , e x c lu s iv e o f tw o w ith o u t
tu b u la r e lev a tio n s o n th e b a s e o f th e c a u d a l, a u d th e sh o rt
f ille ts _ o f scale.s b e tw e en th e ra y s , a n d i t cu rv e s a s u su a l
o p p o s ite to th e e n d o f th e d o rs a l to th e d e p tli o f o n e e n tire
s c a le . I t s tu b u la r e le v a tio n s h a v e a c om p a c t a rb u s c u la r
fo rm , s p r in g in g f ir s t from th e c e n tr a l tu b e in a p a lm a te d
m a n n e r, a n d d iv id in g in to sim p le a n d fo rk ed tu b e s . M o s t
o f th e tu b e s a re p ie r c e d b y p o r e s o r la te r a l o p e n in g s . T h e
sp in o u s d o rs a l is e v e n , a n d a little lowe r th a n th e so ft p a rt.
T h e v e n lra ls a re a c u te p o in te d ; a n d th e i r m em b ra n e s , a n d
th o s e o f th e p e c to r a ls , a re d e lic a te a n d tr a n s p a r e n t. T h e
p e c to r a ls a n d c a u d a l a re ro u n d e d .
A d raw in g , m a d e b y a c o n v ic t a t P o r t A r th u r , o f th is
sp e c ie s , p r e s e n ts th e fo llow in g c o lo u rs . G ro u n d t in t o f
th e h e a d , b a c k a n d s id e s d a rk g re en . A la k e - r e d s trip e
c om m e n c in g a t th e su p r a - s c a p u la r , a u d a n o th e r b e g in n in g
ab o v e th e b a s e o f th e p e c to r a ls , ru n pai-allel to th e b a c k ,
a n d u n ite b e h in d th e d o rs a l in to a s in g le s tr ip e , w h ic h ru n s
to th e e x tr em ity o f th e c a u d a l. O v e r th e b e g in n in g o f th e
a n a l a la rg e b lo tc h from th e u n d e r s tr ip e , b u t o f a d e e p e r
co lo u r, d e s c e n d s n e a r ly to th e v e n tr a l su rfa c e . T h e b r e a s t,
b e lly a n d s id e s o f th e ta il a lo n g th e b a s e o f th e a n a l, a re
tin g e d with a m o re d ilu te a n d p u rp lis h lo b e . A ll th e s e
s tr ip e s a re b o u n d e d b y B e r lin -b lu e lin e s , c om p o s e d o f a
s e rie s o f s tre a k s , o n e o n e a ch s c a le . T h e c h e e k is b lu e ,
a n d th e r e s t o f th e h e a d g re e n , tra v e rs e d b y la k e - r e d lin e s.
T h e p e c to r a ls a n d v e n tra ls a re c a rm in e , th e d o rs a l p u ip lis h -
re d , w ith m a n y sm a ll b lu e d o ts b e tw e e n th e sum m its o f th e
r a y s , a n a rrow v e rm ilio n b o rd e r, a n d a n e x tr em e e d g in g o f
c le a r b lu e . T h e a n a l h a s a n a r row s tr ip e o f verm ilio n
a lo n g its b a s e , th e n a b ro a d b a r of prim ro se -y e llow , e d g e d
a b o v e a n d be low w ith b lu e , a n d , la s tly , a b a n d o f p u rp le
a s b ro a d a s th e y e llow o n e , sp o tte d th ic k ly w ilh b lu e a n d
e d g e d w ith th e sam e . T h e c a u d a l is p lum -p u rp le , d o lle d
wilh p a le b lu e a t th e en d . T h e sp e c im e n s , th o u g h lo n g
k e p t in s p ir its , s till sh ow som e o f th e s e m a rk in g s , a n d tlie
la k e - r e d lin e s m ay b e e n um e r a te d m o re p r e c is e ly from th em
th a n from th e d r aw in g , v iz ., two o f th em c ro s s th e p r e o rb ita r ,
th r e e d e s c e n d from th e o rb it ov e r th e ch e e k , a n d tw o c ro s s
th e tem p le s to th e n a p e , b e s id e s som e u n d u la tin g lin e s on
th e in te ro p e rc u lum . 7 ’he se lin e s a re b lu e in th e sp e c im en s
a n d re d in th e d raw in g s , b u t a s im ila r c h a n g e o f co lo u r is
com m o n am o n g tlie L a b r i a fte r d e a th . T h e sp e c im e n s
a lso show five s h o r t p lu r a -b lu e lin e s on e a c h s id e b e n e a th
th e p e c to r a ls , a n d th r e e su c h lin e s o n e a c h s ide o f th e
a n a l, n o t sh ow n in th e d raw in g . M r. L em p r ie r e s ta te s ,
th a t wh en newly ta k e n th is fish e x h ib its a ll th e co lo u rs o f
th e ra inbow.
T h e v e rte b ræ a re n in e a b d om in a l a n d s ix te e n c a u d a l
o n e s . T h e firs t c a u d a l o n e h a s i ts d e s c e n d in g p ro c e s s com p
o s e d o f two s le n d e r a rm s , wh ich sp r in g d ire c tly from th e
c e n trum , a n d m e e t o n ly a t th e ir tip s , e n c lo s in g a sin g le ,
w id e , e llip tic a l a rc h . T h e c o n te n ts o f th e s tom a c h were
sm a ll C ru s ta c e a , m ix e d w ith litto r a l se a -w e ed s.
I n D e p u ty A s s is ta n t-C om m is s a ry -G e n c ra l N e ill’s d raw in
g s o f th e fish o f K in g G e o rg e ’s S o u n d , th e r e is a r e p r e s
e n ta tio n (N o . 47) o f th is fish, u n d e r th e n am e o f “ k a n u p -
p a r ill ” o r g re e n fish. H e s ta te s i t to in h a b i t th e ro ck y
sh o r e s o f th a t lo c a lity , a n d to b e ra re . M r. L em p rie re
s a y s , th a t a t P o r t A r th u r it is p r iz e d a s a n a r tic le o f food.
L e n g ih 11 in ch e s .
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 .
L abrus psittaculus, v e l T autoga psittacula.
R ic h a rd so n .
in g p ro c e s s o f th e n e x t s u c c e e d in g v e r te b r a is a lso b ro a d ,
a n d p e r fo r a te d b y two ho le s.
T h e sp e c im e n in s p ir its h a d an un ifo rm h y a c in th - r e d c o lo
u r, • ■ ■ ’ .. lu u i, w ith o u t a n y o th e r sp o t s t.h1. a- n- nfi.v.e. — - «-<-•
Labrus psittaculus, Richardson, Zool. Proceed,, March 10, 1840. |^Q,jey-yellow d o ts o n th e so ft d o rs a l a n d a n a l, a n d a few
,ool. Trans, in. p. 141. s tre a k s b e h in d th e c om e r o f tb e m o u th .
L e n g ih 10|- in c h e s .
R a d i i : - B . 5 ; D . 9 |1 1 ; A. 31 1 0 ; C . 1 2 | ; P . 1 3 ; V . l |5 . H a b . S h o re s o f T a sm a n ia .
P la t e L V I ., figs. 7 - 1 0 .
In th is s p e c ie s th e r e a re a b o u t fou rte en o r fifte en te e lh
on e a ch s id e o f e a ch jaw , a u d th e p a ir n e x t th e sym p h y s is
a re p ro p o rtio n a lly la rg e r th a n in th e sp e c ie s a lre a d y
d e s c rib ed . T h e c a n in e a t th e an g le o f th e in o u lh is
slightly cu rv e d , th e in n e r row o f sm a ll te e th is c o n sp
icu o u s o n th e f ro n t th ird o f th e jaw s , b u t fa ils p o s te rio rly
a lto g e th e r o n th e low e r jaw , a n d th e r e a re m e re ly som e
o bscure in d ic a tio n s o f in te r io r te e th o n th e p o s te r io r h a lv e s
o f th e p r em a x illa r ie s . T h e p h a ry n g e a l te e lh a re re p r e s
ented in fig u re s 9 a n d 10.
T h e b o d y is m o re c om p re s s e d th a n is u su a l in a L a b r u s :
th e g re a te s t d e p th o f t h e b o d y a little e x c e e d s th e le n g th
o f th e h e a d , w h ic h forms o n e -fo u rlh o f th e to ta l le n g th .
T h e o p e rcu lum a n d h a l f o f th e su b o p e rc u lum a re cov e red
w ith la rg e ro u n d s c a le s , a n d th e r e a re fo u r row s o f s c a le s
on th e ch e e k , w h ich c o v e r n e a rly a s m u c h o f i t as in L . i n sc
r ip tu s . T h e lo b u la r tip o f th e g ill-c o v e r is n a r row e r
th a n th a t o f i . la iic la v iu s ,'b \ii th e g ill-o p e n in g is a s m u ch
c losed b y m em b ra n e a t th e s h o u ld e r a s iu in s c r ip tu s .
T h e la te r a l lin e , c o n ta in in g tw en ty -s ix s c a le s , cu rv e s a t
th e n in e te e n th , to b e c o n lin u c d s tr a ig h t th ro u g h th e ta il.
T h e re is o n e s c a le in a d d itio n on th e b a s e o f th e c a u d a l
rays w ith o u t liie tu b u la r em in e n c e , m ak in g tw en ty -sev en in
a ll, a n d sm a ll s c a ly fille ts e x i s t a s u su a l b e iw e e n th e rays.
T h e c e n tra l tu b e b r a n c h e s in a p a lm a te m a n n e r , b u t th e
forks a re g e n e ra lly fewe r th a n in la tic la v iu s , th e u ltim a te
b r a n c h le ts s e ld om e x c e e d in g e ig h t o r n in e o n th e a n te r io r
scales, o r h a lf th a t n um b e r o n th e ta il, n o r a re th ey p e rfo ra
te d b y p o re s a s in la tic la v iu s .
T h e d o rs a l s p in e s in c r e a s e g ra d u a lly in h e ig h t from th e
first to th e n in th , w h ic h is o n e - th ird ta lle r. T h e so ft d o r s
a l is ra th e r h ig h e r , a n d its ra y s in c r e a s e s lig h tly in le n g th
to th e p e n u ltim a te o n e , w h ich is th e ta lle s t. T h e so ft ray s
o f th e a n a l a re n e a r ly a ll o f o ne le n g th , a n d its sh o rte r
spine s, a n d th o s e o f th e d o rs a l, a re o v e rto p p e d b y m em b
ran o u s p o in ts . I n th is s p e c ie s a n d la i ic ta i iu s th e an a l
an d dorsa l a re o p p o s ite to e a ch o th e r, w hile in L . te tr ic u s ,
fu c ic o la a n d i iis c r ip lu s th e a n a l e n d s a l ittle fu rth e r from
th e b a s e o f th e c a u d a l. T h e c au d a l h a s its lowe r an g le
ro u n d e d s lig h tly , a n d its u p p e r o n e p o in te d a n d p ro je c tin g
a little . L . p s itta c u lu s a n d la tic la v iu s h a v e a g ill-ray
fewer th a n te tr ic u s , fu c i c o la o r in s c r ip tu s . T h e E u ro p e a n
L a b r i a n d A m e ric an T a u to g a a re n o te d in th e H is to ir e
des Poissons as h a v in g five g ill-ra y s lik e p s iila c u lu s .
T h e sp in e is com p o s e d o f n in e c e rv ic a l a n d s ix te e n
c au d a l v e rteb ræ . T h e firs t c a u d a l o ne d ifle rs from th a t o f
laliclaviiLs in th e lim b s o f th e e llip tic a l a rc h , formed b y its
p le u rap o p h y s e s , b e in g b ro a d e r , a n d u n itin g above so a s lo
enclose a sm a ll o p e n in g n e x t th e c e n trum . I 'h e d e s c e n d -
T h e “ knelmick,” “ m ín am e ” o r “ m in am en” o f th e
n a tiv e s o f K in g G eo rg e ’s S o u n d , w h ich is n am e d “ p a r ro t
fish ” o r “ com m o n ro ck fish ” b y th e s e a le rs o f th e same
lo c a lity , se em s to b e a n o th e r sp e c ie s o f th is g ro u p , a n d to
r e s em b le L . p s i ila c u lu s c lo s e ly in th e form o t its b o d y
a n d c a u d a l fin. I t s so ft d o rs a l a p p e a rs , h ow e v e r, to b e
m o re p o in te d . I h a v e se e n n o sp e c im en , b u t a d r aw in g o f
i t b y D e p u ty A s s is ta n t-C om m is s a ry -G e n e ra l N e ill (N o . 18)
e n a b le s m e to d e s c rib e th e co lo u rs . S om e s c a le s a re o b s
c u re ly in d ic a te d o n th e c h e e k a n d g ill-co v e r, a n d from o n e
s c a le ta k e n from th e b a c k , a n d a n o th e r from th e b e lly , which
a c c om p a n ie s th e d raw in g , th e s c a le s g e n e ra lly a p p e a r to
b e r a th e r sm a lle r th a n th o s e o f p s itta c u lu s . T h e g ro u n d
tin ts o f th e h e a d a n d b o d y a re g re e n , w ilh f a in t lo n g itu d in
a l lin e s o f la k e c o rre sp o n d in g to th e rows o f s c a le s . T h e
sp in o u s p a r t o f th e d o rs a l a n d b a s a l h a l f o f th e so ft p o r tio n
a re d a rk gre en : th e u p p e r p a r t o f th e la t te r a n d a ll th e
o th e r fiu s a re d e e p la k e -re d . Mr. N e ill n um b e r s th e ray s
a s fo llow s: “ D. 8111; A. 2 |1 0 ; P . 1 2 ; V. 1¡5.” I t is
p ro b a b le th a t a s h o r t sp in e a t th e b e g in n in g ol th e dorsal_
a n d o n e a t th e a n a l h a v e b e e n o v e rlo o k ed . L e n g th o f
d raw in g 7 ^ in c h e s .
H .ab. K in g G e o rg e 's S o u n d .
T h e “ knelmick,” “ kielmick” o r “ kielnmick ” o f th e
n a tiv e s o f K in g G eo rg e ’s S o u n d , is e v id e n tly a n o th e r s p e c
ie s o f th is g ro u p , m u ch re s em b lin g Z . la tic la v iu s in its
p ro file . D e p u ty A s s is tau t-C om m is s a ry -G e n e ra l N e ill, b y
w hose d r aw in g a lo n e th e sp e c ie s is k n own to u s , e n um e ra te s
th e ray s a s fo llow s: “ D. 2 2 ; A. U ; P . 1 3 ; V. 5.” H e
s a y s th a t i t is a com m o n in h a b ita n t o f r o c k y co a s ts , a n d is
a ve ry in d iffe re n t a r tic le o f food. I t is ta k e n w ith th e
h o o k . T h e s c a le s a re sm a lle r th a n th o s e o f a n y o f th e
sp e c ie s d e s c r ib e d above , a n d th e d raw in g re p re s e n ts th em
a s c o v e rin g th e e n tire g ill-c o v e rin g , in c lu d in g th e in te r o
p e rc u lum , b u t i t is p o s s ib le th a t th is m ay h a v e b e e n a n
o v e rs ig h t. T h e d o rs a l, a n a l a n d b a c k a re co lo u red b row n ish
-re d , th e h e a d sh ow s a m o re d ilu te tin t o f th e sam e , a n d
th e c a u d a l is re d d ish -o ra n g e . T h e b o d y a n d v e rtic a l fins
a re tra v e rs e d b y s to u t b lu e b a rs , form ing h o r iz o n ia l rows,
a b o u t th re e in n um b e r on e a c h o f th e fins, a n d te n on th e
b o d y . T h e b lu e lin e s ou th e b a c k a re o b liq u e ; m th e
m id d le o f th e ta il th e y a re re p la c e d b y ro u n d s p o t s ; a n d
o n th e c a u d a l th e y ru n th ro u g h o u t th e fin b e tw e e n th e
ray s . T h r e e b lu e lin e s d e s c e n d from th e ey e a n d sn o u t
o v e r b o th jaw s , a n d th re e cu rv e d ow nw a rd s from a la rg e
b lu e p a tc h on th e p re o p e r c u lum ov e r th e ch e e k a n d in tr r -
o p e rc n liu n . T h e r e is a lso a b lu e ch ev ro n on th e su p r a s
c a p u la r. T h e p e c to ra ls a n d v e n lra ls a re p a le , w ith re d d ish
ray s . T h e d raw in g is 9 f in c h e s long.
H a b . K in g G e o rg e ’s S o u n d .