T h e n o s tr ils a re s im ila r to th o s e o f a p e r . T h e su p e rio r
b o rd e r o f th e o rb it is th in , e le v a te d a n d fin e ly c re n u la te d .
B e tw e e n th e o rb its th e r e is a tr ia n g u la r sp a c e fille d w ith
sm o o th m em b r a n e ,w h ic h co v e rs th e e n d s o f t h e in te rm a x -
il la iy p e d ic le s w h e n th e m o u th is r e tr a c te d , a n d th e n i t is
r a i s e d in to a u a c u te r id g e , b u t w h e n th e m o u th is p r o t
r u d e d a d e p r e s s io n is p ro d u c e d th e re b y t h e s in k in g o f th e
m em b ra n e . A sm a ll sm o o th sp a c e i s c o n tin u e d from th is
m em b r a n e b o rd e r in g th e o rb i t d ow n to th e tem p le s , b n t n o
striae a re p e rc e p tib le o n th e c r a n ium su c h a s e x is t in a p e r .
B e h in d th e m em b ra n o u s s p a c e s th e h e a d is d e n s e ly sc a ly .
T h e r id g e s o n th e m a n d ib le a re q u ite sm o o th a n d ro u n d e d ,
a n d i t s p o s te r io r a r tic u la r c o rn e r is re c ta n g u la r , a n d , w ith
th e lim b o f th e b o n e , is s e p a r a b le to a c o n s id e r a b le d e p th
from th e is thm u s , fo rm in g a flap . T h e g ill- ra y s a re e ig h t
iu n um b e r , w hile in a p e r th e y a re s ta te d b y M. V a le n c ie n n e s
to b e o n ly five. N o s c a le s e x i s t o n th e g ill-m em b ra n e .
T h e n a p e is m n c h c om p re s s e d , b u t n o t ab so lu te ly a c u te
o n th e e d g e , a n d i t is le s s c u rv e d th a n th a t o f a p e r , b e in g
n e a r ly s tra ig h t.
T h e f ir s t d o rs a l, c o n s is tin g o f n in e ta ll, s le n d e r sp in e s,
w ith fin e fle x ib le lip s , c om m e n c e s a l ittle b e fo re th e a n a l.
I t s firs t sp in e is ve ry sh o r t, th e s e c o n d is th e ta lle s t, a n d
i t s h e ig h t is e q u a l to th re e - fo u r th s o f t h a t o f th e b o d y ; th e
o th e r s d e c re a s e g ra d u a lly to th e n in th , w h ic h h a s n o t a b o v e
th e fifth p a r t o f th e h e ig h t o f th e s e co n d . T h i s fin s ta n d s
o n m u c h le s s sp a c e th a n th a t o f a p e r . T h e so ft fin h a s
c om p a ra tiv e ly s h o r t ra y s a n d a g r e a tly a r c h e d o u tlin e .
T h e a n a l is n e a r ly s im ila r to it, a n d c om m e n c e s w ilh two
little s p in e s , th e s e c o n d o n e b e in g th e m o s t d im in u tiv e .
T h e n a k e d p a r t o f th e ta il b e h in d th e s e fin s is m o re s le n d
e r th a n th a t o f a p e r . E a c h v e n tra l is su p p o r te d in fro n t
b y a lo n g s le n d e r sp in e , w ith a f le x ib le tip , a n d is followed
b y s ix jo in te d r a y s , w h ich a re fo rk ed a t th e e n d , th e la s t
two r a y s b e in g a s m u c h s e p a r a te d a t th e b a s e a s th e o th e rs .
B e h in d th e s e fin s th e r e is a d e e p sm o o th fis su re , in w h ich
th e y lie w h e n d e p r e s s e d , th e ir tip s p ro je c tin g , o n e o n e a ch
s id e o f th e a n a l sp in e s . T h e w a lls o f th e fis su re a re m ad e
r ig id b y th e s c a le s w h ic h e d g e th em , a n d th e a n u s o p e n s
in to its fore p a r t n e a r th e a x i l l* o f th e fins. T h e s c a le s o f
th e b o d y a r e sm a ll a n d d e n s e ly tile d , a n d fe e l v e ry ro u g h
to th e fin g e r w h e n d raw n from th e ta il tow a rd s th e h e a d .
T h i s ro u g h n e s s is c a u s e d b y a few s h o r t c o n ic a l p o in ts ,
ve ry diff’e r e n t from th e d e n s e v illo s ity o f th e s c a le s o f a p e r .
T h e b a s a l h a l f o f tb e s c a le is tran sv e rs e ly s tr ia te d b y th e
lin e s o f s tru c tu r e (se e fig u re s 4 a n d 5). T h e la te r a l lin e is
co n sp ic u o u s e n o u g h , a n d fo llow s n e a r ly th e c u rv e o f th e
b a c k . T h e m em b ra n e o f th e firs t d o rs a l a n d o f th e v e n lr
a ls r e ta in s a b la c k is h t in t. T h e d raw in g ab o v e a llu d e d
to r e p re s e n ts th e fish g e n e ra lly a s h a v in g a d e e p ro s e a te
h u e .
L e n g th 5 in c h e s .
H a b . C o a s ts o f T a sm a n ia a n d so u th e rn p a r ts o f A u s tra
lia .
S in c e th e d e s c r ip tio n o f Z e u s a u s t r a l is (p. 3 6 , PI.
X X V ., f. 1) w a s w r itte n , f h a v e s e e n a m o re p e r f e c t sp e c im
e n from W e s te rn A u s tra lia , n ow in th e B r itis h M u seum ,
w h ic h e n a b le s m e to m ak e som e a d d itio n s lo th e a c c o u n t
o f th e sp e c ie s . T h e b la c k la te r a l s p o t e x i s t s ; th e l a s t ra y s
o f th e d o rs a l a n d a n a l a re d iv id e d to th e b a s e , so th a t th e
fo rm u la fo r th e s e fins m ay b e D . 10]— 23 o r 2 4 ; A. 4 |2 2
o r 23. T h e tw o a n te r io r a n a l sp in e s a re in c o n ta c t w ith
e a c h o th e r , a n d sp r in g from th e s am e in te r s p in o u s b o n e ,
w ith o u t th e m em b ra n o u s sp a c e b e tw e e n th em , w h ic h is
r e p r e s e n te d in o u r figure . T h e r e is a fla t m em b ra n o u s
sp a c e be twe en th e o rb its , b o u n d e d o n e a c h s id e b y a low
rid g e .
S a u r u s u n d o sq u a m is . R ic h a rd so n .
R a d i i :— 12— 1 2 ; D . 1 1— 0 ; A. 1 1 ; C. 1 7 4 ; V- 9-
P la t e L I ., figs. 1— 6.
I h av e b e e n u n a b le to re c o n c ile th is s p e c ie s w ith an y
d e s c r ib e d o n e , b u t h a v in g o n ly th e in su ffic ie n t fig u re s a n d
d e s c r ip tio n s o f B lo c h , L a c e p e d e a n d R u s s e ll lo re fe r to for
a s s is ta n c e , in com in g to th is c o n c lu s io n , i t m a y p o s s ib ly
p ro v e to b e o n e o f th e s p e c ie s a llu d e d to b y C u v ie r in
th e R èg n e A n im a l, b u t o f w h ic h I h av e se e n n o a c co u n t.
T h e few m em b e rs o f th e g en u s th a t I h a v e h a d a n o p p o r tu
n ity o f e x am in in g , a n d w h ic h a re d e s c rib e d in th e
‘ R e p o r t o f th e I c h th y o lo g y o f C h in a , &c .,” a lre a d y q u o te d
f r e q u e n tly , diffe r from e a c h o th e r c o n s id e r a b ly in th e ir
d e n titio n , w h ic h , i f d u ly a tte n d e d to , m a y p ro b a b ly fu rn ish
u s e fu l c h a r a c te r s for th e d is tr ib u tio n o f th e s p e c ie s in to
g ro u p s .
T h e h e ig h t a u d th ic k n e s s o f S . u n d o sq u am is a r e a b o u t
e q u a l a t th e sh o u ld e r s : th e b a c k is fla tly ro u n d e d from
th e d o rs a l lo th e o c c ip u t, a n d th e b r e a s t is fla t from th e
v e n tra ls to th e is thm u s , w hile th e s id e s are- c o n v e x a n d
m o re p rom in e n t. F rom th e d o r s a l to th e c a u d a l fin th e
com p re s s io n is d e c id e d , th o u g h n o t g re a t, a n d th e s id e s
a re fla tte n e d , th e b a c k rem a in in g ro u n d e d . P o s te r io r to
th e a n a l th e h e ig h t is a b o u t o n e - th ird g r e a te r th a n th e
th ic k n e s s . T h e h e a d fo rm s a fo u rth o f th e le n g th o f th e
fish , e x c lu d in g th e c a u d a l, o r r a th e r m o re th a n a fifth if
th a t fin b e in c lu d e d . I t s h e ig h t a n d b r e a d th a t th e tem p
le s a re e q u a l, its s id e s a re fla t a n d v e rtic a l, a n d i t is a lso
fla t ab o v e , b n t e x c a v a te d b y a w id e sh a llow g ro o v e b e tw
e e n th e o rb its . W h e n v iew ed from ab o v e (fig. 2) th e
u p p e r b o n e o f th e h um e r a l c h a in a p p e a r s h k e a ta p e rin g ,
b u t n o t a c u te s c a le , a t th e an g le o f th e g ill-o p e n in g ; th e
b o rd e r s o f th e o rb its a re se en to b e p rom in e n t, a n d th e
ey e s to e n c ro a c h m u c h le s s u p o n th e u p p e r a s p e c t th a n
in a S a u r u s o b ta in e d b y S ir E d w a rd B e lc h e r , which I
h a v e d e s c r ib e d in th e R e p o r t a llu d e d to , u n d e r th e nam e
o f S . argi/7'ophanes. S . u n d o sq u am is fu rth e r d iffe rs from
th is s p e c ie s in h a v io g th e s n o u t co n s id e ra b ly ro u n d e d in s
te a d o f v e ry a c u te a n d m o re e lo n g a te d , a n d in h a v in g a
sm a ll m e s ia l c o n ic a l p o in t ris in g n e a r i t s e n d , b e in g s e em in
g ly a p ro je c tio n o f th e sym p h y s is o r p e d ic le s o f th e in-
le rm a x illa rie s . T h e p ro file forms a low a rc from th e e n d
o f th e s n o u t to th e o rb its , a n d from th e n c e to th e d o rs a l th e
lin e is n e a r ly s tr a ig h t, w ith a v e ry s lig h t a s c e n t. T h e d iam
e te r o f th e eye is e q u a l to th e le n g th o f th e sn o u t be fore
th e o rb it, o r to a b o u t on e -fifth o f th e le n g ih o f th e h e a d .
1 3 9
a nd i t is a b o u t onG-third loss th a n th e sp a c e b e tw e e n th e
o rbits I n tb e s h o r tn e s s o f th e sn o u t th is sp e c ie s le som -
h le s S a m o f c e t s m o f B lo c h , 3 8 4 , f. 2 S . n ,.r i» s o f L a c e -
Tipde V iii f. 3, Osm e ru s lem m s c a tu s . Id em , v. vi. 1 .1, a n d
S a h n o 'h a d w io l ta h o f R u s s e ll, 172, b u t its fo rm is n o t
id en tic a l w ith a n y o f th e s e figure s.
T h e c le f t o f th e m o u th is e q u a l to tw o -th ird s o f th e
le n c th o f t h e h e a d , a u d its m id d le , w h en v iew e d la te ra lly ,
c o rre sp o n d s to th e c e n tr e o f t h e eye. T h e jaw te e th a re
slen d e rly su b u la te , w ith th in , tw o - e d g e d , v e ry a c u te a n d
tra n sp a re n t p o in ts , n o n e o f th em b e in g b a rb e d o r h a s ta te .
T h e p rem a x illa ry te e th a re a r r a n g e d in fo u r row s , in a
q u in c L n i a l o rd e r, b u t n o t v e ry r e g u la rly , a n d th e y are
ra th e r rem o te ly p la c e d in th e ir re sp e c tiv e row s. T h e te e th
o f th e o u te r row a re v e ry sh o r t, th o s e o f th e in n e r o n e a ie
much ta lle r , th e in te rm e d ia te row s b e in g o f in te rm e d ia te
h e ie h t T h e a n te r io r te e th o f th e in n e r row a re c u rv e d in w
a rd s a n d b a c kw a rd s , w h ile th e p o s te rio r o n e s a re in c lin e d
a little fo rw a rd s. T h e m a n d ib u la r te e th a re s im ila r, b u t m
five rows. T h e p a la tin e te e lh a re m o re c row d e d a n d r e g u la
rly se t, in two rows, a ll in c lin e d tow a rd s th e m e s ia l lin e ,
th e in n e r row b e in g ta lle s t, b u t s c a rc e ly e q u a llin g th e
th ird row o f th e in te rm a x illa r ie s in h e ig h t. I h e r e is also
an e llip tic a l p a t c h o f te e th w ith in th e p a la tm e r id g e , a p p a ren
tly im p la n te d o n th e e n lo -p te ry g o id , in w h ic h th e r e a re
five rows, a ll in c lin e d inw a rd s , a n d in c r e a s in g in h e ig h t
from th e o u te rm o s t to th e in n e rm o s t.t T h e r e a re n o te e th
on th e vomer. T h e te e th o n th e to n g u e a re sh o rt, d e n s e ly
* Saurus neherexus of Buchanan-Hamilton {S. ophiodm,Cm.) hns
long, slender, hastate leelh on the branchial arches ;
I htve considered to he the S . variegatus of Commersou, in the Report
on the Ichlhvoloffv of China,’ has haslate mandibular teeth.
t Sa u rv I argxjropkanes wants this dental plate, hut has four rows of
palatine teeth.
c row d ed , a n d s c a r c e ly v is ib le to th e n a k e d ey e , b u t b y th e
a id o f a le n s th e y a re se e n lo b e s to u tly s u b u la te , a c u te ,
a n d d ir e c te d b a ckw a rd s . T b e te e th w h ic h co v e r th e g u la r
su rfa c e s o f t h e b r a n c h ia l a r c h e s a re m o re v is ib le , a n d th e y
a re s im ila r in form a n d lai-ger o n th e p h a ry n g e a ls , b u t ev en
th e re th e y a re n o t ta lle r th a n th e s e co n d a n d th ird row s on
tb p 1aws *
'T h e f ro n t r a y o f th e v e n tr a ls s ta n d s a li t t le b e fo re th e
d o rs a l a n d m idw a y b e tw e e n th e e n d o f th e s n o u t a n d first
a n a l r a y . T h e tip o f th e p e c to r a ls re a c h e s a s fa r b a c k as
th e f ir s t d o rs a l ray . T h e r a y s o f th e d o rs a l, a n a l a n d p e c to
r a l a re c o n n e c te d a t th e ir b a s e s to th e b o d y oi th e h sh
b y sm a ll s lip s o f m em b ra n e , w h ic h a re r e p r e s e n te d m
fig u re I . T h e c a u d a l is d e e p ly forked.
T h e r e a re a b o u t fifty -s e v e n rows o f s c a le s b e tw e e n th e
K ill-opening a n d c a u d a l fin, a n d tb e s c a le s o f th e la te r a l
lin e a re b e n t in tb e m id d le , so a s to form a r id g e , n o t very
a p p a r e n t a n te rio rly , b u t w e ll m a rk e d , ev en a n d c o n lm u o u s ,
th o u g h n o t h ig h on th e ta il. T h e s c a le s g e n e ra lly a re i r re
g u la rly s em ic irc u la r o r sem io v a l, th e c h o rd o r b a s e b e in g
d iv id e d b y th r e e fu rrow s in to fo u r lo b e s , a n d th e fre e m a r g
in s , w ith th e a d jo in in g p a r ts o f th e d isk , b e in g u n d u la te d
fig 6) A s c a le from th e la te r a l Hue (fig. 5) h a d o n ly tw o
fu rrow s, w ith a s h o r t wid e c e n tr a l tu b e . A ra n g e o f m ore
e lo n g a te d s c a le s flan k s th e d o r s a l a n d a n a l, a n d th e r e are
lo n g p o in te d sc a le s a b o v e a n d b e tw e en th e v en tra ls.
T h e co lo u rs h a v e b e e n e ffa c ed b y m a c e ra tio n m sp irits ,
b u t a s e rie s o f sm a ll b row n sp o ts c a n s till b e tr a c e d on
tb e u p p e r c a u d a l ray.
L e n g th 8 y in c h e s . L e n g th o f h e a d 1-65 in c h .
H a b . C o a s t o f N o r th -w e s t A u s tra lia .
* Sahno variegatus, Commerson (Eicb. Report, &c., p. 30) has very
strong teeth on the tongue.
B SiREïT, Bisuorsoti