Waite. — Notes on New Zealand Fishes. 131 



The gills are four in number, with a slit behind the fourth ; the gill-rakers 

 are moderately long and flat ; there are twelve on the first arch, of which 

 eight are on the. lower limb. Pseudobranchiae are present. The general 

 contour of the fish is shown by the figure. 



Teeth. — The teeth are conical, somewhat separated, forming an irregular 

 band in the upper jaw and a single series in the lower jaw ; the vomer and 

 palatines are toothless. 



Fins. — ■ The dorsal fin commences as a vertical continuation of the 

 anterior profile of the head, and the first rays form a crest, which, how- 

 ever, is broken ; the following rays are of even length, being equal to the 

 diameter of the eye ; the posterior rays are a little shorter, and are sub- 

 continuous with those of the caudal. The pectoral has a broad horizontal 

 base, the rays being, therefore, directed Vertically ; the first or longest ray 

 is one-third longer than the eye, while the ventral is quite small, placed a 

 little behind and below the pectoral. The anal lies near to the extremity 

 of the body, but is not attached to the lower caudal rays. 



Scales. — The scales are quadrangular in shape and are extremely thin, 

 and directed in lines obliquely upwards and backwards ; their number 

 below the lateral line cannot be counted. The lateral line commences 

 immediately below the first ray of the dorsal fin, and passes in a straight 

 line to a point behind the eye, whence it traverses the middle of the body 

 in a direct line to the caudal. 



Colours. — The whole body is of silvery hue, with brighter markings 

 about the size of a florin, the fins pink. 



Length. — 1140 mm. 



I see no reason to dissociate this specimen irom the Mediterranean 

 species L. cepedianus, nor does the short notice by Johnston indicate that 

 L. guntheri is distinct, the reticulate markings described being possibly 

 referable to the scale-pits, which are arranged netwise. Goode and Bpan* 

 are inclined to recognize as distinct the Japanese species L. capellei Tem- 

 minck and Schlegel,f and, tentatively, L. cristatus Johnson, from Maderia. 



EXPLANATION OF PLATES 



Plate III. 



Centropkorus plunketi Waite. Foetus ; natural size. 



Plate IV. 

 Fig. 1. Scymnorhinus licha Bonnaterre. Male ; about one-seventh natural size. From 



a cast. 

 Fig. 2. Lophotes cepedianus Giorna. About one-sixth natural size. From a cast. 



Plate V. 

 Mora pacifica Waite. About one-fourth natural size. From a cast. 



Plate VI. 

 Melanostigma flaccidum Waite. Slightly reduced. 



* Goode and Bean, Oceanic Ichth.. 1895, p. 349 et seq., figs. 389. 390. 

 | Temm. & Schleg., Fauna Japon.. 1845. p. 132, pi. lxxi. 



5* 



