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Show 1889.] NEW TO THE AUSTRALIAN FAUNA. 155 Dr. Bleeker having described his species from a single specimen, a redescription taken from two perfect examples is interesting; a comparison of the two diagnoses, however, reveals but slight differences, such as the larger number of pectoral rays in my specimens, a slight variation in the comparative measurements, and fewer scales on the lateral line1. Dr. Bleeker's type, which came from Amboyna, was of rather smaller size than those here described, which measure respectively five and a half and five and two thirds inches. For the possession of these specimens the Australian Museum is indebted to the liberality of Lieut. Roche, la/e of H.M.S. ' Opal,' who obtained them on the Great Barrier Reef off the northeastern coast of Australia. SCORP^ENA COOKII, Giinth. B. vii. D. 12/9. A. 3/5. V. 1/5. P. 6/112. C. 13. L. 1. 62-65. The length of the head is from twice and two thirds to twice and four fifths in the total length, the height of the body from three and three fifths to four times in the same. The eye is of moderate size, and is placed high up on the side of the head ; its diameter is from two ninths to one fifth of the length of the head, from five sixths to two thirds of that of the snout, and from five eighths to one half of a diameter apart. The interorbital space is deeply concave, and is furnished with a median ridge, which springs from two roots on the posterior margin of the swelling caused by the intermaxillary processes, and ends opposite to the anterior third of the eye, from which point two low lateral ridges run backwards, and bending towards each other after leaving the interorbital fossa, meet in an acute angle on the posterior third of the occiput, and are there lost without terminating in a spine ; there is a naked shallow groove below the eye. The cleft of the mouth is large and but little oblique, and the lower jaw protrudes slightly beyond the upper ; the maxilla reaches to the vertical from the hinder margin of the eye, and even beyond it in large examples. The opercle is armed with two long and moderately strong spines of equal size: there are five spines on the preopercle, the uppermost of which is much the longest and strongest, while the two lower are short and blunt. The outer edge of the preorbital bears several spinate points which radiate from a common centre, and is usually provided with two tentacles; there is also a strong turbinal spine, as well as one anterior and two posterior spines on the supraorbital ridge, which is either with or without tentacles, these when present being sometimes 1 The difference in the number of scales between the spinous dorsal and the lateral line is caused by Dr. Bleeker having counted those beneath the middle of the fin, while I, adhering to m y usual practice, have counted the oblique row from the base of the anterior spine. 2 In one of m y specimens there are ten dorsal and six anal rays, while the pectoral fins have on one side five branched and twelve simple rays, that on the other side adhering to the normal number ; this example has also exceptionally long orbital tentacles, but differs in nowise else from the other examples. |
