Centropristes Georgianus, _Cuv. et Val._ Hist. des Poiss. tom. vii. p.
338.
FORM.—As M. Valenciennes has given an accurate and detailed
description of this fish; and as I have already stated above some of
its leading characters, it is not necessary to say much further on
this head in reference to the specimen in Mr. Darwin’s collection. I
need only point out wherein it differs from the description in the
“Histoire des Poissons,” the greater part of which applies exactly.
M. Valenciennes states that the ventral profile is more curved than
the dorsal, but there is not much difference in their respective
degrees of curvature in this specimen. The thickness of the body,
which he fixes at one-third of the depth, is here nearly half the
depth. The following characters may be also given, in addition to
his. Above each orbit are two short crests or ridges which meet at
an angle anteriorly, and the interocular space between these pairs
of ridges is rather depressed; beyond, or immediately above the
upper lip, the snout is a little protuberant. The band of teeth in
each jaw is narrow, with the outer row longer than the others; and
at the sides of the jaw, this outer row is all that is obvious. The
intermaxillary is slightly protractile. The eye is hardly removed so
much as one diameter from the end of the snout. The limb of the
preopercle is striated; the angle at bottom rounded, and much
dilated, so that the ascending margin falls in advance of a
vertical. The contour of the membrane of the opercle is rounded. The
cheeks, and all the pieces of the gill-cover, with the exception of
the broad limb of the preopercle, are scaly: there are also a few
scales on the maxillary, but none on the crown between the eyes, or
on the snout, or lower jaw. The dorsal and anal terminate nearly in
the same vertical line, but the latter reaches a trifle the
farthest. Both fins are invested at their base with a scaly
membrane, the scales of which are of a long lanceolate form. The
length of the caudal equals the depth of the body. That of the
pectorals equals half the depth: these fins are attached a little
behind the opercle, and a little below the middle. The point of
attachment of the ventrals is in a vertical line which passes
through the middle of the pectorals, and coincides with the
commencement of the dorsal. They are longer than the pectorals; and
in their axillæ is a lanceolate membranaceous scale half their own
length. There is a similar, but shorter scale in the axilla of the
pectorals also.
B. 7; D. 9/16; A. 3/10; C. 17–6/6; P. 15; V. 1/5.
Length 9 inches 10 lines.
COLOUR.—Not noticed in the recent state. In spirits, the whole fish
appears of a nearly uniform dull metallic yellowish white, tinged
with olive on the back and upper part of the sides.
Mr. Darwin obtained this species in King George’s Sound, in New Holland,
the same place in which it was discovered by MM. Quoy and Gaimard.