s c a le s th e b r a n c h e s a re r a th e r few e r a n d s p re a d le s s
(fig. 7).
T h e d o rs a l sp in e s a re s le n d e r, su b u la te a n d a c u te , a n d
in c re a s e g ra d u a lly in h e ig h t to th e l a s t o r th ir te e n th , w h ic h
is n e a r ly tw ic e a s ta ll a s th e firs t : a sm a ll p o in t o f m em b
r a n e o v e rto p s e a c h o f th em . T h e so ft ra y s ris e ab o v e th e
l a s t s p in e n e a r ly in th e sam e d e g re e th a t i t e x c e e d s th e
f ir s t o n e . T h e a n a l is s im ila r to th e p o s te r io r p a r t o f th e
d o r s a l, a n d e n d s a little n e a r e r to th e c a u d a l. T h e la tte r
is t r u n c a te d a t th e e n d , w ith a s lig h t a c u te p ro je c tio n o f
th e u p p e r c o rn e r . T h e p e c to r a l is r a th e r la rg e a u d tr ia n g
u la r , th e v e n tra ls c om p a r a tiv e ly sm a ll a n d p o in te d . T h e r e
a re n o sm a ll s c a le s o n th e fins.
T h e s p e c im e n h e r e d e s c rib e d , a n d f ig u re d in P la te L V .,
is a d r ie d o n e , a n d m e a su r e s in c h e s . A n o th e r, m e a su
r in g 124 in c h e s , was t a k e n a t P o r t E s s in g to n , a n d h a s th e
d o rs a l a u d a n a l m o re p o in te d .* One e x am p le in th e H a s la r
M u s e um , p r e s e n te d b y J o h n G o iild , E s q ., is tw e n ty -tw o
in c h e s lo n g , a n d d iffe rs from th e p r e c e d in g iu its t e e th a n d
j aw s n o t b e in g g re e n , a n d in h a v in g a s to u t c a u in e d ire c te d
o u tw a rd s from th e a n g le o f t h e m o u th . T h e u p p e r lim b
o f its p r e o p e rc u lum is fin e ly a n d a c u te ly s e rra te d , th e s e r r
a tu r e s p o in tin g u pw a rd s . T h i s is m o s t p ro b a b ly a d is t
in c t s p e c ie s , a n d th e B r itis h M u s e um p o s s e s s e s a la rg e
m o u n te d s p e c im e n o f i t w h ic h w a s a lso o b ta in e d from
M r . G o u ld .
H ab. N o r th e rn c o a s ts o f A u s tra lia .
C ossyphus, v e l L achnolaimus gouldii. R ic h a rd s o n .
Lahrus gouldii, Richardson, Ann. and Mag. Nat. Hist. xi. p, 353.
R a d i i :— D. 1 1 |1 0 ; A. S jlO ; C. 14^; P . 17 ; V. 1|5.
I n th e A n n a ls a n d M a g a z in e o f N a tu r a l H is to ry , a s
ab o v e q u o te d , I d e s c r ib e d a W e s te rn A u s tra lia n fish, w h ich
in its d e n titio n m a k e s a n e a r a p p ro a c h to L . c y a n o d u s . I
s ta te d th e re th a t th e sp e c im en c o n s is te d o f th e d r ie d sk in
o f o n e s id e o f th e fish , w ith th e b o n e s o f th e h e a d
c u t aw a y , so th a t th e p ro p e r form o f th e p ro file co u ld
n o t b e a s c e r ta in e d ; b u t s in c e th a t w a s w r itte n 1 h a v e r e *
In the specimen which is figured the colours were effaced. The
one described in the Annals and Magazine of Natural History (ix. 355)
retained some indications of the darker tints, viz., “ Tbe top and sides
of the head have a dark brownish hue, which is separated from the inferior
orange or reddish-yellow parts by an even line running beneath
the pectoral fin and preoperculura to the angle of the mouth. There is
a purplish-brown patch on the chin. The light tints ofthe under surface
rise in the axilla of the pectoral to the middle of the side, and are
continued at that height tu the caudal. The upper parts have a leaden
hue, not very uniform. Three dark bars descend from the spinous part
of the dorsal to the lateral line, there is a fourth before the fin, and a
fifth is more obscurely seen a t the end of the soft part o fthe fin, all
these bars being broader than the intermediate paler spaces. There are
no markings on the dorsal, though the colour of tlie spinons part is
somewhat deeper than that of the soft part. Two diaphanous lines traverse
the middle of the anal, and five similar ones cross the caudal, followed
by dots on the end of the fin.’’ The lengih of this specimen was
10 inches.
c o g n iz e d th e s p e c ie s am o n g D . A. C. G. N e ill’s d r aw in g s
o f th e fish o f K in g G e o rg e ’s S o u n d . I t b e a r s am o n g th e
n a tiv e s th e v a rio u s n am e s o f “ k o o jem ic k ,” “ q u e jiu ra tic k ”
o r “ k n ow l,” a n d grows to a la rg e s iz e . M r. N e ill m e n tio
n s o n e w e ig h in g 2 8 tb s ., w h ich was sp e a r e d b y a na tiv e ,
b u t n o t k ille d till a fte r a lo n g s tru g g le , th e fish b e in g ve ry
pow e rfu l.
I n th e d r aw in g th e p ro file from th e sn o n t to th e n a p e is
a low a rc , h u t in th e s p e c im e n i t fo rm s a b o u t th e s ix th o f
a c irc le . T h e h e a d is sh o r t, th e b e lly m o re a r c h e d th a n
th e b a c k , a n d th e tru n k o f th e ta il th ic k ,, th e fish b e in g
c lum s ily m a d e . T h e p r e o rb ita r lip is s im p le , th e p r em a x illa
ry o n e th ic k a n d p la ite d . E a c h p rem a x illa ry a n d lim b
o f th e m a n d ib le is a rm e d in f ro n t witli two s to u t, c o n ic a l,
b lu n tis h te e lh , w h o s e ro o ts a re in c o rp o r a te d w ith th e
b o n e , all o f th em h a v in g a n a rrow e r stem o r n e c k , which
is e v id e n tly c o v e re d b y th e so ft p a r ts in th e r e c e n t
fish. T h e to o th n e x t th e s ym p h j’s is a b o v e a n d be low
p o in ts o b liq u e ly fo rw a rd s ; th e o th e r o n e o u tw a rd s a n d
d ow nw a rd s o r u pw a rd s , a s i t is ab o v e o r be low . T h e su rfa
c e s o f b o th jaw s a re sm o o th a n d n a k e d , a n d th e b o n e
swells o u t s lig h tly b e h in d th e c a n in e s , b n t forms a lla ttish
r id g e o n th e la te r a l p a r ts o f th e jaw . O n th e in te rm a x illa
ry th e r e is a sm a ll b lu n t to o th , n o b ig g e r th a n a p in ’s
h e a d , im m e d ia te ly b e h in d th e fro n t c a n in e , a n d m an y s till
m o re m in u te ro u n d e d te e th a p p e a r a s i f re a d y to b u r s t
from th e b o n e a ll ov e r its su rfa c e , b u t a re s c a rc e ly p rom in
e n t en o u g h to r e n d e r i t u n e v e n : th e o u te r ed g e o f th e
rid g e is a l ittle u n e v e n , b u t o n ly tw o m in u te a n g le s c an
b e c o n s id e r e d a s te e lh . T h e r e is n o c a n in e a t th e c o rn e r
o f th e m o u th . On th e m a n d ib le th e re a re tw o sm a ll g r a n
u la r te e th a t th e sym p h y s is b e h in d th e f ro n t c a n in e ;
m in u te ro u n d e d te e th in c o rp o r a te d w ith th e b o n e all
ov e r i t s su rfa c e , a n d me re ly s h in in g th ro u g h ; a n d a lso an
e x te r io r r a n g e o f n in e o r te n sm a ll c o n ic a l or ro u n d e d
te e th : o f th e s e th e m id d le o n e s a r e th e m o s t p rom in e n t,
a n d a re th e o n ly o n e s th a t ris e a b o v e th e ed g e o f th e
g r in d in g rid g e . T h e sn o u t, m a n d ib le , to p o f th o h e a d to
th e o c c ip u t, p r e o rb ita r , a c o n s id e ra b le sp a c e b o rd e r in g th e
ey e b e n e a th , b ro a d d isk o f th e p re o p e rc u lum , a n d lin e s
su rro u n d in g th e s u p r a - s c a p u la r a n d tem p o ra l c lu s te rs o f
s c a le s , a re n a k e d . T h e p re o p e rc u lum h a s its free edge
au gm e n te d b y a n even m em b ra n o u s b o rd e r , w ith o u t any
v is ib le s e rra tu re s . T h e ch e e k is fu rn ish e d with sm a ll, v e rtic
a lly ov a l, rem o te , im p re s s e d sc a le s , wh ich form se v e n or
e ig h t row s in th e c u rv e o f th e p r e o p e r c u la r d isk , b u t d i m
in ish to tw o tow a rd s th e tem p le s , w'here th e s c a le s are
la rg e r . T h e o p e rc u lum is cov e red b y five row s o f s c a le s ,
w h ic h in c re a s e r a p id ly in s iz e towa rds th e ed g e o f th e g ill-
flap. O n e row o f la rg e r s c a le s co n c e a ls th e su b o p e rw
“ ap.r-
i l u m ; a n d five row s o f sm a lle r o n e s , th o u g h n o t so small
a s th o s e on th e c h e e k , c o v e r tb e in te ro p e rc u lum , th e lower
ed g e o f th is b o n e b e in g sm o o th . T h e sc a le s o f th e b o d y
a re la rg e , th e r e b e in g o n ly fo rty o n th e la te r a l lin e , a n d
s ix row s ab o v e it. T h e s c a le s o f th e n a p e a n d b r e a s t, a n d
th o s e c o v e rin g th e s u p r a - s c a p u la r s , a re sm a l l e r : th e
la rg e s t a re o n th e f i a n k s ; a n d o ne ta k e n from th a t p a r t o f
th e in d iv id u a l m e n tio n e d b y Mr. N e ill a s h a v in g w e ig h ed
28 ibs., m e a su re s I ’3 in c h in le n g th a n d I ' l in w id lh . i t
is b o u n d e d b y th r e e n e a rly s tr a ig h t s id e s a n d a n e llip tic a l
curve o n th e free ed g e , a n d is o b liq u e a n g le d . T h e b a s e
is m a rk e d b y a b o u t th ir ty - th r e e s lig h tly - r a d ia tin g s t r i« ,
m an y o f th em te rm in a tin g s h o r t o f th e e d g e , a n d th e sid e s
a re b o rd e r e d b y som e e le v a te d lin e s , th e g r e a te r p a r t o f th e
disk b e in g sm o o th , e x c e p t th e e x p o s e d p a r t, w h ic h is c o v
e red b y in te g um e n t th a t b e c om e s som ew h a t g ra n u la r in
d ry in g . T h e s c a le s o f th e b a c k , a n d th o s e on th e b a s e o f
th e c a u d a l, a re m o re o b lo n g , w itli few e r r a d ia tin g
more n um e ro u s la te r a l lin e s a n d a le s s sm o o th d isk . T h e
sc a le s com p o s in g th e la te r a l lin e sh ow m u c h sm a lle r disks
in s itu th a n th o s e a b o v e a n d be low th em , a n d a ra is e d lu b e
on e a c h s c a le e n d s in a b u s h y c lu s te r , th e b r a n c h e s o f
w h ich a re n o t v e ry d is tin c t in th e d r ie d sp e c im en . T h e
lin e is very s lig h tly a r c h e d an te rio rly , a n d b e c om e s q u ite
s tr a ig h t in th e tru n k o f th e ta il.
T h e sp in o u s p a r t o f th e d o rs a l is m o d e ra te ly a rc h e d ,
a n d is low e r th a n th e a r tic u la te d p o r tio n , wh ich e n d s in a
p o in t form ed b y th e p e n u ltim a te a n d tw o p re c e d in g ray s ,
th e e ig h th so ft r a y b e in g th e lo n g e s t. T h e sp in e s a re o f
a ve ry u n u su a l form, b e in g very s tro n g , b u t c om p re s s e d ,
lik e th e b la d e o f a knife wilh a b lu n t o r ro u n d e d p o in t, th e
la s t th r e e , h ow e v e r, b e in g m o re c y lin d r ic a l a n d a cu te .
T h e m em b ra n e is d e e p ly n o tc h e d b e h in d e a c h sp in e . 1 he
soft p a r t o f t h e a n a l co rre sp o n d s with th e d o rs a l, b u t th e
sp in e s a re ev e n b ro a d e r a n d m o re o b tu s e th a n th e aoi'sa l
ones. I t wo u ld a p p e a r from M r. N e ill's o b s e rv a tio n s , th a t
some in d iv id u a ls h a v e o n ly o n e , o th e rs b u t two a n a
sp in e s. A few sm a ll s c a le s e x is t o n th e b a s e s o f th e jo in te d
p o rtio n s o f th e a n a l a n d d o r s a l ; a n d th e s e fins se em to
move in a low fu rrow , n o t n e a rly so m u c h d ev e lo p ed as
th e u su a l s c a ly s h e a th s o f th e Cossyphi. T h e v e n tr a l is
p o in te d ; a n d its g r e a tly c om p re s s e d , w id e , b lu n t sp in e , is
only h a l f a s lo n g a s th e s e c o n d a n d th i r d jo in te d ray s ,
w h ich form th e p o in t o f th e fin. T h e p e c to r a l is n iu c h
ro u n d ed , a n d th e a n a l is ev e n w ith th e a n g le s ro u n d e d .
Mr. G o u ld re p o rts tb e c o lo u r a s a n u n ifo rm d a rk olive tin t,
a n d .\Ir. N e ill’s d r aw in g is c o lo u r e d w ilh a d a rk n e u tr a l
lin t, a p p ro a c h in g to g ra y ish o r p u rp h s h -b la c k a lo n g th e
d o rs a l a s p e c t a n d o n th e fins, a n d fa d in g to b la c k is h -g r a y
011 th e side s.
L e n g th S S j in c h e s .
H a b . W e s te rn A u s tra lia .
Odax lineatus. Q u o y e t G a im a rd . {M a la ca n tln is ).
Malacantke rayé, Quoy et Gaimard, Zool. de I’Astrol. p. 717, PI. 19,
f .2.
Cheilio lineatus, Cuv. et Val. xhi. p. 3o4.
R a d i i:— B . 5 ; D . 20 1 1 0 ; A. 4 |9 ; C . 2 5 ; P . 1 2 ; V. l|5 .
P l a t e L X ., figs. 1— 5.
T h is fish h a s h ith e r to b e e n k n own to ic h th y o lo g is ts on ly
b y th e figure p u b lis h e d b y Q u o y a n d G a im a rd , th e sp e c imen
h a v in g b e e n lo s t a fte r tb e d r aw in g w'as m ad e b y M.
Gre ssicn , a n offic e r o f th e A s tro lab e , who p r e s e n te d i t to
M. Quoy. I t is p ro b a b le , from th e te rm s in w h ich th is is
m e n tio n e d b y M. Q u o y , th a t h e n e v e r saw th e fish, b u t
d e s c r ib e d i t from th e d raw in g , w h ic h w o u ld a c c o u n t for
th e e rro rs in th e a c c o u n t o f th e jaw s , d e n titio n , g ill-co v e r,
&c ., a n d h is n o t d is c r im in a tin g th e s im p le from th e jo in te d
ra y s o f th e d o rs a l a n d a n a l. A very p e r f e c t a n d b e auU lu lly
c o lo u re d d r aw in g o f t h e sp e c ie s , n ow in th e p o s s e s s io n o f
R o b e r t B row n , E s q ., h a d b e e n m a d e lo n g b e fo re , o n F l in d
e rs ’ v o yage , b y M r. B a u e r ; a n d a sp e c im e n in to le r a b le
p r e s e rv a tio n , from w h ich o u r fig u re w a s ta k e n , e n a b le s u s
to g iv e th e follow in g d e s c rip tio n .
T h i s fish is m o d e ra te ly c om p re s s e d , w ith a fusiform p r o file,
th e ta il b e c om in g g r a d u a lly h ig h e r a l th e b a s e o f th e
w id e ly e llip tic a l a n d a c u te c a u d a l. T h e h e ig h t, w h ic h is
g r e a te s t u n d e r th e m id d le o f th e d o rs a l, is a b o u t e q u a l to
o n e -s e v e n th o f t h e whole le n g ih o f t h e fisb, a n d th e n a r row
e s t p a r t o f th e ta il is e q u a l lo h a l f t h a t h e ig h t. T h e
le n g th o f th e h e a d , in c lu d in g th e tip o f th e g ill-c o v e r, forms
le s s th a n o n e -ih iv d 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 e y e is e q u id is ta n t from th e e x tr em ity o f th e u p p e r jaw
a n d tip o f t h e g ill-co v e r, a n d is n e a r th e u p p e r p ro file , b u t
doc s n o t a c tu a lly to u c h i t : its d iam e te r is a b o u t one -fifth
o f t h e le n g ih o f t h e h e a d , a n d e q u a ls e x a c tly th e d is ta n c e
b e tw e e n th e o rb its . T h e th ic k n e s s a t th e n a p e is o ne
q u a r te r le s s th a n th e h e ig h t th e re .
T h e p o s te r io r n o s tr il, w h ic h is c lo se to th e e y e , is a
sm a ll o p e n o r i f ic e ; th e a n te r io r o n e c a n b e c lo s e d b y a
v a lv u la r lip . T h e s c a le s o n th e to p of th e h e a d a re n o t
m u c h sm a lle r th a n th o s e o f th e b o d y , a n d a re s e p a r a te d
from th e n a p e a n d s u p r a - s c a p u la r s c a le s b y a sm o o th
tr a n s v e r s e lin e , w h ic h is b e n t a t e a c h tem p le to ru n b a c k w
a rd s lo th e u p p e r an g le o f th e g ill-o p e nm g . T h e m a r g
in s o f th e o rb its a re sm o o th , b u t th e s c a le s com e fo rw a rd
b e tw e e n th em to th e p o s te r io r n a s a l-o p e n in g . T h e o p e r c
u lum , m o s t o f t h e su b o p e rc u lum a n d th e c h e c k a re s c a ly
(fig. 2 ), a n d th e r e is a lso a row o f s c a le s o n th e in te ro p e r cu
lum ; b u t th e sn o u t, jaw s a n d d isk o f th e p re o p e rc u lum
a re more o r le s s p o ro u s . T h e th in a n d fle x ib le in te ro p e r cu
lum is q u ite en tire , b u t w h en h e ld u p to th e lig h t i t a p p
e a rs s tr ia te d o n its ed g e . T h e b o rd e r o f th e s u b o p e r-
cvdmn is sm o o th , a n d its c a r tila g in o u s s tr a p - s h a p e d tip
p ro je c ts o v e r th e a x illa o f th e p e c to r a l. T h i s p ro c e s s is
fissile , a n d s p lits in to s ix te e n o r e ig h te e n p o in te d te e th .
T h e o p e rc u lum is , a s is com m on in th e L a b n , c o n n e c te d
b y its u p p e r ed g e to th e sh o u ld e r, b u t th o g ill-o p e u in g e x te
n d s w e ll fo rw a rd s be low . , ,,
T h e m o u th is c le ft h o n z o n ta lly a s fa r b a c k a s th e
a n te r io r n o s tril. T h e p r e o rb ita r , o f a sem i-la n e e o la le
form, co v e rs a sp a c e in to w h ic h th e s ide o f th e jaw g lid e s,
b u t th e r e is n o p r e o rb ita r lip , th e in teg iiiiie iits ol th e sn o u t
beinw e o n tiu u o iis w ith th e w e ll-d ev e lo p ed jirom a x illa ry
lip s . T h e s e a n d th e low e r l ip fo ld b a c lt o v e r ih e ir re sp e c tiv e
law s , e v e n a t th e sym p h y s e s . T h e jaw s h a v e th e u su a l
n a rrow s p o o n - sh a p e d form p e c u lia r to O d a x , w ith th e
q u in c u n c ia l in c o rp o r a te d te e th s h in in g th ro u g h . T h e th in
ed g e s o f th e jaw s a re irre g u la rly a n d m in u te ly c r e n a te d ; a
few o f th e p ro je c tio n s , p a r tic u la r ly fo u r o r five on th e u p p
e r jaw, a t th e an g le o f th e m o u th , a p p e a r in g lik e m in u te
te e th . T h e r e a re a lso five sm a ll, co n ic a l, a c u te te e th ,
s p rin g in g from th e o u ts id e o f th e u p p e r jaw p o s te rio rly
(fi"s 2 , 3 ) . T h e u p p e r p h a ry n g e a ls a re sm a ll, b u t th ic k ,
t r iL g u l a r , fiv e -sid ed b o n e s , o ne o f th e s id e s on ly a tta c h e d