374 



Transactions. 



Trachipterus jacksonensis Ramsay? (Juvenile). Fig. 2 



In November, 1908, a ribbon-fish, preserved in formalin, was for- 

 warded to the Dominion Museum from Nelson, South Island. I was 

 present when it arrived, and remember the extraordinary development of 

 the dorsal and ventral fin rays. Unfortunately, I can find no trace of the 

 specimen, but from a careful drawing made at the time I have reason to 

 think that it was a young example of T. jacksonensis. The specimen was 



Fig. 2. — Trachipterus jacksonensis Ramsay ? From drawing of juvenile fish 

 taken at Nelson in 1908. About |- natural size. 



13 in. long, and exhibits distinctive characters, as shown in the accompany- 

 ing illustrations, especially in the crenulations of the abdominal profile. 

 As it also bears a strong resemblance to Jordan and Snyder's figure of 

 T. ijimae (now stated to be the young of T. ishikawae), and as I consider 

 T. ishikawae to be identical with T. jacksonensis, it may be that this is a 

 yoimg specimen of T. jacksonensis. 



Trachipterus trachypterus (Gmelin). Fig. 3. 



1873. Trachypterus altivelis Hut-ton, Trans. N.Z. Inst., vol. 5, p. 264. 

 1876. T. altivelis Hutton, Trans. N.Z. Inst., vol. 8, p. 214. 

 1882. T. altivelis Johnston, Proc. Roy. Soc. Tasmania, p. 123. 

 1886. T. taenia McCoy, Prod. Zool. Victoria, dec. 13, pi. cxxii. 



B. 6; D. VI-175; C. 10; P. 11 ; V. 8. 



Bodv long and tapering, slightly constricted behind the vent ; greatest 

 depth of body just behind the head, contained 5| times in the total length 

 (excluding the caudal) ; abdominal profile studded with a double series 

 of small tubercles ; vent situated a little before the middle of the body. 

 Head short and the muzzle truncated ; jaws protractile ; eye situated 

 near the upper profile, and a little behind the middle ; all the bones of 

 the head thin, and radiatingly ridged. Eight teeth in the upper jaw, 8 in 



