Hector. — On New Zealand Whitebait. 317 



more elongated than the former species, especially in the case 

 of the specimens from Taupo Lake. The colour (in spirits) of 

 the Taupo specimens is also different from the others, being a 

 brown-grey, with the silver band on the side very indistinct, 

 whilst the other specimens are yellow. In other respects 

 they have the same distinguishing characters from the type of 

 B. richardsoni, which are an elongated snout, deeply cleft 

 mouth, powerful jaws, and strong teeth. The stomach is also 

 different in form, being a blind sac with the oesophageal and 

 pyloric orifices close together. 



As these differences are of considerable importance, I 

 think it will be of advantage for observers, in recording the 

 habits of these fish, in the meantime to distinguish between 

 the two forms, even if they should ultimately prove to be the 

 same species. Both the large and the small smelts form 

 delicious food, the smallest size, when about 2 in. in length, 

 being one of several young fish that are called "whitebait " ; 

 the large specimens, 7 in. in length, were called " aua " by the 

 natives, which is also one name for the small sea-mullet. 



Kokopu (Genus Galaxias). 



This is the general Maori name for several very common 

 fishes in the New Zealand streams and lakes, belonging to a 

 family concerning which Dr. Giinther makes the following 

 very interesting remarks : " The family of Gaiaxidce was 

 formed by the late Johannes Muller for a single genus, 

 Galaxias — scaleless freshwater fishes from the temperate 

 zone of the Southern Hemisphere, which, with regard to the 

 development and position of their fins, remind us of the 

 pikes of the Northern Hemisphere, but in other respects 

 resemble the Salmonoids, to which they have been compared 

 by Muller. Also, the settlers in at least some parts of New 

 Zealand have dignified the larger kinds with the name of 

 'trout,' or 'rock-trout.' However, they cannot be regarded 

 as the southern representatives of the Salmonoids, inasmuch 

 as recent researches have shown that this latter family is 

 represented in the Southern Hemisphere by other much more 

 closely allied genera (Haplochiton and Prototmctes). If we 

 look for the representatives of the Gaiaxidce in other zones, 

 perhaps the African Mormyridce and the arctic Esocidce are 

 those which may be mentioned with the greatest propriety. 

 Up to the present time only twelve species of Galaxias are 

 known. Their geographical distribution is a point to which 

 the greatest interest attaches. We find the genus most 

 developed in New Zealand, where five species occur, and 

 these are the largest of the whole group. Westward it ex- 

 tends to New South Wales with three and to Tasmania with 



