210 Transactions. — Zoology. 



perfect returns have come in) : Tiritiri, Bean Eock, Ponui 

 Passage, Cuvier Island, Pencarrow Head, Manukau Heads, 

 Kaipara. 



Dates. — Every month of the year. 



Weight. — Average, If lb. ; largest recorded, 7 Jib., from 

 Puysegm' Point. 



Food. — Small fish, shellfish, Crustacea, seaweed, worms, 

 octopus, and starfish. Several entries give gravel or mud as 

 the contents of the stomach. The fish seem to graze along 

 the rocks for part of their food, eating seaweed, corallines, &c., 

 along with the molluscs, worms, and Crustacea which take 

 refuge among them. 



Reproduction. — The returns in regard to these fish are 

 much more satisfactory than in any other case, for, while the 

 entry "Unripe" occurs under every month of the year, it 

 refers almost ahvays to small fish only in the summer months. 

 The larger fish appear to mature their ova from September to 

 January, but by far the largest number in November, Decem- 

 ber, and January. In several cases the entry "Spawning" 

 occurs in the two last months of the year, while by February 

 nearly all the female fish are recorded as having no ova. 



[Note. — From Cape Maria van Diemen a number of fisli termed 

 " blue-fish " are recorded. Tlie same returns also record rock-cod. I 

 am quite unable to suggest what fish is meant by "blue-fish," unless, 

 indeed, the observer has used the names indiscriminately. These fish were 

 very numerous, were taken during every month of the year, and fed 

 chiefly on mussel, but occasionally on small fish. They weighed from 

 lib. to 21b. each.] 



19. Maobi Chief (Notothcnia coriiceps). 



Number of Fish recorded. — 8. 



Localities. — Taiaroa Head, Cape Saunders. 



Dates. — x\ugust, Sej)tember, and October. 



Weight. — Average, 31b. ; largest recorded, 41b. 



Food. — Seaweed; in one instance the stomach contained 

 also small fish. 



Beproduction. — In six fish the ova were "ripe," or nearly 

 so, in August. 



20. Gurnard {Trigla hiimi). 



Number of Fish recorded. — 14. 

 Localities.— 'Moeraki, Poison Bay, Milford Sound. 

 Dates. — March, August, and October. 

 WeigJit. — Average, lib. ; largest recorded, 31b., at Milford 

 Sound. 



Food. — Shellfish in every case. 

 Bcproductioji. — Not recorded. 



