n o t a c tu a lly to u c h it. F rom th e a n te r io r th i r d o f t h e o rb it
th e r id g e is le s s p rom in e n t, a n d m o re o b tu s e forwa rd to th e
n o s tr ils (fig. 3). T h e te e th a re sm a ll, a n d j u s t v is ib le to
th e n a k e d e y e : v iew e d th ro u g h a le n s th e y d o n o t a p p e a r
a c u te , a n d a re se en to form o n e row o n th e u p p e r j a w , a n d
two irre g u la r c row d e d rows on th e fore p a r t o f t h e m a n d ible...
T h e l e n g th o f t h e h e a d is c o n ta in e d fo u r tim e s a n d
o n e th i r d in th e to ta l le n g th o f t h e fish.
L e n g th from 4 in c h e s to 20 a n d more .
I I ab. N ew Z e a la n d a n d A u s tra lia .
Caranx paraspistes. R ic h a rd so n .
R a d i i :— B . 7 , v e l 8 ; D . 8 |— ll2 1 ; A. 2 |— 1116; C. 184-:
P . 1 |2 1 ; V. 115.
P l a t e L V I I I ., figs. 6 , 7.
I h a v e b e e n u n a b le to re fe r th is fish lo a n y d e s c rib e d
sp e c ie s . I t a p p ro a c h e s m o s t c lo s e ly to th e C a r a n x d je d -
d a h a o f R ü p p e ll (A tla s 2 5 , f. 3), b u t th e c a u d a l k e e l, th o u g h
s tro n g ly sh ie ld e d , ta p e r s m o re p o s te rio rly , a n d th e p o in ts
o f th e d o rs a l a n d a n a l a re n o t fa lc a te . C. l a ja d ( Id em )
h a s a sm a lle r f ir s t d o rs a l, a n d C . /u lv o - g n t ta tu s (Id em , 25,
f. 7), h a s a le s s a rm e d la te r a l lin e , a n d th e fre e sp in e s
c lo s e r to th e an a l. C. c h r y so p h r y s (C. e t V. ix . p . 87) h a s
a c o n sp ic u o u s r e c um b e n t d o rs a l sp in e a n d m o re d e lic a te
c a u d a l sh ie ld s : th e h e ig h t o f b o d y a u d p ro file a re a lso
d iffe ren t.
o f th e v e n lra ls . T h e a c c e s so ry k e e ls o n th e b a s e o f th e
c a u d a l a re c o n sp ic u o u s . T h e c a u d a l is d e e p ly fo rk e d , tb e
d o r s a l a n d a n a l fa lc a te a t th e ir tip s . T h e r e is n o r e c um b
e n t sp in e b e fo re th e d o rs a l. T h e s c a le le s s e d g e s o f t h e
in te r s p in o u s b o n e s p ro je c t s tro n g ly a t th e b a s e s o f t h e an a l
ra y s . T h e p e c to r a l r e a c h e s to th e th i rd o r fo u rth soft an a l
ray.L
e n g th 1 7 '5 in c h e s .
C. p a r a s p is te s f r e q u e n ts b r a c k is h lag o o n s a t P o r t E s s in g to
n , a n d is k n ow n to th e a b o r ig in e s b y th e n am e o f “ ork-
b u d b o o d .” I t s u p p e r j a w is a rm e d on e a c h s id e b y seven
r a th e r s to u tly su b u la te , b u t n o t t a ll te e th , w h ic h s ta n d som e w
h a t w id e ly , a n d r e a c h from th e sym p h y s is to th e m id d le
o f th e p r em a x illa r ie s , w ith in which th e r e is a n a r row b a n d
o f m in u te re c u rv e d te e th , e x te n d in g o nw a rd s to th e co rn e r
o f th e m o u th . T h e m a n d ib le p r e s e n ts a sin g le row o f
s h o r t, s u b u la te , c u rv ed te e lh , re a c h in g to th e c o rn e r o f
th e m o u th , w ith o u t a n y in te r io r b a n d . T h e y a re som ew h a t
t a l le r n e a r th e sym p h y s is , b u t a re n o t ab o v e h a l f th e siz e
o f th e e x te r io r p r em a x illa ry te e lh . A ve ry n a rrow s trip e
o f m in u te te e lh is v is ib le o n th e ed g e o f tb e p a la te -b o n e ,
in th e d r ie d sp e c im e n , b y a id o f a len s . T h e v om e r is
to o th le s s .
T h e b r e a s t, tem p le s a n d c h e e k a re s c a ly ; b u t th e o p e r c
u la r p ie c e s , p r e o rb ita r , m a x illa ry a n d lo w e r jaw a re s c a le le
s s . T h e su p r a - s c a p u la r r e g io n a n d n a p e a re s c a ly , a n d a
sm o o th c re s t, em ittin g som e s c a le le s s lin e s , h a v in g sh o rt
l a t e r a l b r a n c h e s , ru n s b a c k to th e firs t d o rs a l. T h e ta il
is s tro n g ly k e e le d , a n d a la te r a l view o f th e k e e l, o f th e
n a tu r a l s iz e , is r e p r e s e n te d iu fig. 7. T h e r e a re th irty -
th r e e s h ie ld s , th e a n te r io r o n e s g ra d u a lly d im in ish in g , b u t
th e f ir s t o f th em , th o u g h sm a ll, is d is tin c tly k e e led , so
th a t th e re is n o g ra d u a l p a s s a g e in to th e soft s c a le s o f
th e c u rv e d p a r t o f th e lin e . I t is s itu a te d ov e r th e
a x i l l a o f th e s e c o n d fre e a n a l sp in e . T h e a n u s is r e m
o te from th e fre e sp in e s , a n d lie s b e iw e e n th e p o in ts
H ab. N o r th e rn c o a s ts o f A u s tr a lia a n d T o r r e s S tr a its .
Caranx speciosds. F o r sk a l. [Scomber).
Scomber speciosm, Forskal, p. 54
Caranx ires-beau, Lacepede, 111, p. 72, PI. 1, f. 1.
Scomberpoloosno, Russell, 149.
Caranx speciosns (Lacep.), Ruppell, Atl. p. 96, voiinR.
Caranx petaurista (Geoffv.), Riippell, Atl. p. 9ô', PI 25, f. 2, adult.
Caranx speciosus, Cuv. et Val. 9, p. 130.
R a d i i :— D . 7 |— 1 |1 9 ; A. 2 l - 1 |1 6 : C. 1 7 4 ; P . 1 |2 0 :
V. 1|5.
P la te L V I IL , figs. 4 , 5. (C . poloosoo).
T h e v a rio u s sy n o n ym s o f th is w id e ly -sp re a d sp e c ie s a re
q u o te d a b o v e on th e a u th o r ity o f th e H is to ir e de s P oissons,
a n d th e figure o f a fish th a t h a s b e e n so f re q u e n tly re p r e s
e n te d h a s b e e n g iv en p a r tly lo b a la n c e th e p la te , b y fillin g a
c o rn e r, a n d p a r tly lo a d d , a s fa r a s o u r lim its will a llow, to
th e illu s tr a tio n s o f A u s tra lia n fish. A c o lo u re d d raw in g
w h ic h w e p o s s e s s , o f a sp e c im e n c a p tu r e d a l l io u tm a n ’s
A b ro lh o s , on th e w e s tem c o a s t o f A u s tr a lia , r e p r e s e n ts th e
d a rk b a rs a s tr a c e d on a b r ig h t y e llow g ro u n d . W e a re in fo
rm ed , in th e H is to ir e d e s P o is so n s , th a t th e o ld e r sp e c im
e n s lo s e th e ir y e llow tin ts a n d d a rk b a r s , a n d b e com e
s ilv e ry . T h e b a rs , h ow ev e r, a re s tro n g ly tr a c e d in R u s s
e ll’s figure o f th e “ p o loosoo,” w h ic h m e a su re s 10 in c h e s ,
a n d th e p ro file o f th is f ig u re a g re e s b e tte r with o u r fish
th a n th e p e ta u r i s ta o f R U p p e il does. T h e l a tte r h a s ,
mo reo v e r, s tro n g e r sh ie ld s * o n th e ta il, ev en ta k in g its
g r e a te r s iz e in to c o n s id e ra tio n , th a n o u r sp e c im en , o n w h ich
th e y a re sm a ll a n d le n d e r . I n th e H is to ir e de s P o isso n s
th e te e th a re s a id to b e e n tire ly w a n tin g in th e a d u lt. I n
o u r sp e c im en th e j aw s , p a r tic u la r ly th e low e r o n e , a re p e r c
e p tib ly ro u g h lo th e to u c h , a n d th e te e th c a n b e s e e n by
a id o f a com m o n len s. T h e r e is a re c um b e n t sp in e b e fore
th e do rsa l.
L e n g th o f s p e c im e n 2 '7 in c h e s .
H ab. C o a s ts o f A u s tra lia . P o ly n e s ia . M a la y A r c h ip e la
g o . In d ia n O c e an . M a u ritiu s . R e d S e a . M . B u s-
seuil, th e n a tu r a lis t a tta c h e d to B o u g a in v ille ’s E x p e d itio n ,
firs t fo u n d i t on th e c o a s ts o f New H o lla n d . [H is t, des
* Russell’s figure is noted in the Histoire des Poissons as representing
the shields too small, and is therefore quoted with some doubt as a
synonym of speciosus. It agrees belter wilh the Australian fish, as I
have slated altove, than any of the other plates quoted in the Histoire
des Poissons.
1 3 7
E quula serrulifera. R ic h a rd so n .
R a d i i :— B . 5 ; D . 8 |1 7 ; A. 2 ]1 4 ; V. I |5 ; P . 15.
P la te L IX ., figs. 12— 14.
I h a v e m an y d o u b ts o f th is fish b e in g a d is tin c t s p e c ie s
from tb e E q u u la e n s ife r a o f th e H is to ir e de s P oissons,
wh ich is th e Scom b e r e d e n tu lu s o f B lo c h , p i. 428. C a p t.
Ro ss p ro c u r e d sev en o r e ig h t sp e c im e n s a t S id n e y , b u t
th e y a re a ll m o re o r l e s s m u tila te d in th e r a y s o r m em b
ran e s o f th e fins ; a n d some d e fic ien c ie s in th e la rg e s t
ex am p le , w h ich is fig u red in P la te L IX ., h a v e b e e n s u p p
lied from th e sm a lle r one s.
T h e p ro file is s te e p e r b e tw e e n th e n o s e a n d firs t do rsa l
th a n th a t o f e n s ife r a , a n d th e s e co n d d o rs a l sp in e is som e what
ta lle r , i f B lo c h ’s fig u re b e co rre c t. I t h a s a th in
c re s t in f ro n t o f its w h o le le n g th , wh ich M . V a le n c ie n n e s
com p a re s lo th e b la d e o f a sw o rd ; b u t th e p o s te r io r fa c e
o f th e sp in e , in s te a d o f b e in g eq u a lly tr e n c h a n t, i s ro u n d e d
w ith a s c a rc e ly p e r c e p tib le c re st. T h e le n g ih o f th is sp in e
ex c e e d s h a l f th e h e ig h t o f th e b o d y . T h e th ird a n d fo u rth
do rsa l sp in e s a n d th e th i rd a n a l sp in e h a v e b ro a d e r a n te rior
c re s ts th a n the, s e c o n d o n e ; b u t th e s e c re s ts , in s te a d
o f b e in g q u ite e n tire a s in th e la tte r , a re s tro n g ly s e rra te d .
M. V a le n c ie n n e s d o e s n o t n o tic e th e s e s e r r a te d b la d e s o r
c re sts in h is d e s c r ip tio n s o f th e sp in e s o f a n y o f th e sp e cies,
b u t th e y a re r e p r e s e n te d in B u c h a n a n -H am ilto n ’s
figure o f E q u u la r u c o n ia (P la te 1 2 ), a n d e x i s t also in
E . n u c h a lis o f th e F a u n a J a p ó n ic a , w h e n c e I am le d
to c o n je c tu re th a t th e y m a y p o s s e s s a g en e ric c h a r a c te r .
T h e s e c o n d a n a l s p in e is s h a p e d lik e th e s e c o n d d o rs a l,
b u t h a s a r a th e r m o re e v id e n t p o s te r io r c re s t. A ll th e
sp in e s in b o th fin s a re w r in k le d o n th e sid e s in a p e culia
r m a n n e r. I n o th e r p a r tic u la r s o f s tru c tu r e M. V a le
n c ie n n e s ’ m in u te d e s c r ip tio n o f e n s ife r a a p p lie s to th is
fish. T h e p e c to ra l a n d v e n tra l fin s differ in o u r figure
from B lo c h ’s re p r e s e n ta tio n o f e n s ife r a , b u t from th e
s ta te o f th e sp e c im e n s I c a n n o t b e c e r ta in th a t th e y a re
ab so lu te ly c o r r e c t ; a n d , from th e in te g um e n ts h a v in g
sh ran k , th e a r t i s t h a s r e p r e s e n te d th e in te r s p in o u s b o n e
as p ro je c tin g b e fo re th e an a l sp in e s in a m a n n e r which
it doe's n o t d o in th e r e c e n t fish. T h e te e th a re very
fine ancl d e n s e ly c row ded, a n d talce th e c u rv e o f th e
edge o f tho j aw in a p e c u lia r m a n n e r. In d ic a tio n s o f
n in e o r te n v'e rlic a l b a r s , d e s c e n d in g from th e b a c k down
th e u p p e r h a lf o f th e s id e s , m ay b e tr a c e d in c e rta in lig h ts ,
and 1 su sp e c t th a t a d a rk sp o t e x is te d on th e sp in o u s d o r sal.
One o f th e sm a ll sp e c im e n s shows su ch a sp o t d is tin
c tly , b u t th e h e ig h t o f th e b o d y o f th is in d iv id u a l is n o t
q uite so g r e a t in p ro p o rtio n a s in th e o n e fig u red . A n o th e r
small spcicimen h a s th e f ro n t c re s t o f th e s e c o n d do rsa l
spine s e r r a te d , so th a t th e re is e ith e r some va rie ty in th is
re sp e c t or m o re th a n o n e sp e c ie s in S ir .Tamos R o s s ’s c o lle
c tio n , w h ich th e im p e rfe c t c o n d itio n o f th e sp e c im e n s
will n o t a llow m e to d e te rm in e .
L e n g th 3 ^ in ch e s .
H ab. C o a s ts o f A u s tra lia .
Capros australis. R ic h a rd so n .
Capros anslratis, Richarilson, Zool. Trans, iii. p. 72. Idem, Contr.
to Austr. Ichth. Annals of Nat. Hist.xi. p. 171.
R a d i i:— B . 8 ; D . 9 |3 0 ; A. 2 |3 1 ; C. 13* ; P . 1 1 ; V . I l 6 .
P la te L IX , figs. 1— 5.
I n th e Z o o lo g ic a l T r a n s a c tio n s , a s q u o te d ab o v e , I
n am e d th is fish from a d raw in g m ad e b y a c o n v ic t in T a s m
a n ia fo r D r. L h o ts k y ;* a n d in 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 a b o v e q u o te d , I g av e a fu ll a c c o u n t
o f th is d r aw in g , w h ic h p ro v e s to b e e rro n e o u s in th e n um b
e r s o f t h e gill a n d fin -ray s , a n d in som e m in o r p o in ts .
T h e sp e c im en b ro u g h t h om e b y C a p ta in R o s s , w h ic h was
p ro c u r e d b y h im a t S id n ey , e n a b le s m e to give th e figure
in P la te L IX . a n d th e s u b jo in e d d e s c r ip tio n , th o u g h th e
lip s o f som e o f t h e so f t d o rs a l a n d a n a l ra y s , a n d th o s e o f
th e p e c to ra ls , h a v in g b e e n m u tila te d , I c a n n o t b e c e rta in
o f the. e x a c t fo rm o f th e s e fins. In th e n um b e r o f b r a n c ln -
o s te g o u s ra y s , th e form ancl s tru c tu r e o f th e sc a le s , ancl in
some o th e r p a r tic u la r s which will b e n o tic e d in th e followin
g d e s c r ip tio n , C apros a u s lr a lis d iffe rs from a p e r .
I t s b o d y , w h ic h is fu lly as m u ch c om p re s s e d a s th a t o f
a p e r , h a s a m o re re g u la r ly - e llip tic a l p ro file , w h o s e v e rtic a l
d iam e te r, u n d e r th e c om m e n c em e n t o f th e d o rs a l, is eq u a l
to tw o - lh ird s o f th e lo n g itu d in a l o u e , m e a su rin g th e la tte r
from th e tip o f t h e low e r jaw , with th e m o u th sh u t, to th e
s e ttin g on o f th e tru n k o f th e ta il b e h in d th e d o rs a l ancl
a n a l. T h e fa c e is n o t co n c a v e o v e r th e ey e , e x c e p t
w hen th e p ro tru s io n o f th e jaw s d e p re s s e s th e p ro file ,
b v th e w ith d raw a l o f th e p ed ic le s o f th e in te rm a x illa rie s .
T h e ey e is sm a lle r th a n th a t o f a p e r , tb e p r e o rb ita r is
ro u n d e d a n d q u ite e n tir e o n th e e d g e , in s te a d o f b e in g
c r e n u la te d o r lo b e d , a n d th e m a x illa r ie s d e s c e n d w h e n th e
m o u th is p ro je c te d . W h e n th e m o u th is c lo s e d th e low e r
jaw a s c e n d s ,' a n d forms th e r a lh e r a c u te a p e x o f th e e llip se .
T h e le n g ih o f th e h e a d in th a t co n d itio n is c o n ta in e d
th ric e a n d a h a lf in th e e n tire le n g th o f th e fish , c a u d a l
in c lu d e d . T h e p r e o p e rc u lum , in s te a d o f r e s em b lin g th a t
o f a p e r , is m o re lik e th a t o f Z e u s fa b e r ,_ ancl is ev en lo n g e r,
w ith a m o d e ra te c u rv a tu re , a na rrow d isk , a m im ite ly a n d
ir r e g u la r ly c r e n a te d th in p o s te r io r e d g e , a n d n o p o s te r io r
r e c ta n g u la r e x p a n s io n a t th e b e n d a s in a p e r . T h e s c a ly
c h e e k is h ig h a n d obliciue, lik e th a t o f fa b e r , in c o n s e q
u e n c e o f t h e le n g th ancl in c lin a tio n o f th e p re o p e rc u lum .
T h e b o n y o p e rc u lum a n d su b o p e rc u lum to g e tlic r a re tw ic e
a s h ig h as lo n g , a n d a r e tru n c a te d a t th e tip s ; b u t a n a d d itio n
o f m em b ra n e giv e s a som ew h a t tr ia n g u la r b u t o b tu s e form
to th e g ill-p la te . T h e su b o p e rc u lum n e a rly e q u a ls tb e o p e r cu
lum in s iz e , a n d th e lo n g in te ro p e r c u lum sh ow s b e h in d
th e p re o p e rc u lum , b o th above a n d b e low i l s b e n d . T h e
jaw s a rc a rm e d with fine m ic ro s c o p ic a l te e lh , a s a re also
th e c h ev ro n o f t h e v om e r a n d e d g e o f th e p a la tin e b o n e s .
* The conjecture liaz.arded in page 36 as to this drawing probably referring
to Zeus australis proves lo be erroneous.