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Show 1887.] ON A NEW FISH OF THE GENUS PRIONURUS. 395 the wording makes it appear as if I considered that name to be a mere synonym of G. tricuspidata. I had no such intention ; what I meant to convey was, that Count Castelnau had mistaken the ordinary banded form of G. tricuspidata for G. zonata, which is certainly not known in this colony. ^Regarding this banding, which I had considered to he indicative of youth, as in the case of many other fishes, I a m now at a loss, as I have seen many banded examples of equal size with the plain ones; and I am informed that the same haul of a net will frequently take equal numbers of either form, and even the fishermen, w ho as a rule go by colours, recognize only one species. Since writing the above I have had an opportunitv of seeing a living specimen of this beautiful fish in the Manly Aquarium ; it is smaller than either of m y specimens, being, I should say, about 14 inches long; is of a brighter blue all over, and has more golden spots. 6. O n an undescribed Fish of the Genus Prionurus from Australia. By J. D O U G L A S - O G I L B Y , Ichthyol. Dept. Australian M u s e u m . (Communicated by F. D A Y , Esq., F.Z.S.) [Eeceived March 26, 1887-1 The fish which is described below belongs to a small collection obtained some years ago in Port Jackson, and measures over 15 inches. It is very distinct from our common P. microlepidotus, and though it agrees with P. scalprum in the fin-rays and profile of snout, in other points it approaches nearer to P. laticlavius ; I have no choice therefore but to describe it as a new species. PRIONURUS MACULATUS, sp. nov. B. v. D. 9/24. A. 3/23. V. 1/5. P. 17. C. 17. Length of head 4f, of caudal fin 5^, height of body 2| in the total length. Eye-diameter | of the length of the head, -| of that of the snout, and £ of the interorbital space, which is convex. The upper profile of the snout is very slightly concave, that of the occiput as slightly convex. Upper jaw overhanging the lower. Teeth-A single series of compressed pluricuspid teeth in both jaws. Fins.-The dorsal fin commences above the opercular angle; its spines are moderately strong, the fifth the highest, f of the length of the head, the first very short; the rays are nowhere so high as the spines ; the base of the spinous portion is f of that of the soft. The anal fin commences beneath the last dorsal spine; its third spine is much the longest, equal to the anterior rays and almost as long as the fifth dorsal spine. The ventral fins reach to the second anal spine. Pectorals truncate behind, reaching to a little beyond the ventrals and equal in length to the head. Caudal fin emarginate. Caudal lamina-a series of three keeled bony plates |