582 NOTES FROM THE AUSTRALIAN MUSEUM, PAPERS READ. NOTES FROM THE AUSTRALIAN MUSEUM. ON SPECIMENS OF THE GENUS XIPHASIA, SWAINSON, FROM PORT JACKSON. By E. P. Ramsay, LL.D., F.R.S.E., and J. Douglas-Ogilby. The Australian Museum has recently received no less than three specimens of this rare fish, the first on April 7th through the Inspector of the New South Wales Fisheries, the second during the first week in May from Mr. Arthur Weigall, and the third on the 22nd of the current month : the last specimen, having been evidently disgorged by some other fish, was consequently worthless. The genus Xiphctsia was established by Swainson in 1839 for the reception of a fish described and figured by Russell under the name of " Tonkah Talawaree," the latter author having placed it in the genus Ophidium. In Swainson's system it was first placed next to Ophidium, but was subsequently removed to the neigh-bourhood of Cej)ola, with which latter family it has no affinities whatever. In 1858 Dr. Kaup described under the name of Nemophis lessoni two specimens obtained by MM. Lesson and Garnot during the Voyage of the Cocjuille, and therefore in all probability from the South Seas. Jerdon in 1851 obtained two examples, and from these a drawing was made by Sir W. Elliott, which is reproduced by Dr. Day, (Fishes of India, pi. 73), and is, with the exception of the elongate caudal ray, an accurate repre-sentation of our fish. Subsequently Dr. Giinther in his catalogue formed the genus Xiphogadits for the reception of Russell's fish, though well aware that Swainson's genus was established on the same data : he however had taken previously a step in the right direction by placing Nemophis (Kaup) among the Blenniidm.
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