380 Transactions. 



ever looked more unlike. These ichthyologists must have additional evi- 

 dence in favour of the view expressed, although they do not state on what 

 grounds it is based. T. ijimae has an extraordinary development of the 

 pre-dorsal fin rays, while T. ishikawae has no pre-dorsal appendages what- 

 soever. The conditions show what remarkable and incomprehensible 

 changes take place in the life-history of these fishes. No excuse is, • 

 therefore, needed for advancing the opinion that T. arawatae Clarke is the 

 young of T. taenia. 



Comparisons with Australian Trachipterids. 



Excluding T. jacksonensis, which is obviously a distinct species, the 

 only Australian records I can find are T. taenia by McCoy, Victoria ; 

 T. altivelis by Johnston, Tasmania ; and T. polystictus by Ogilby, New 

 South Wales. 



Johnston(7) only briefly describes the specimen from Tasmania, and 

 Ogilby(2) states that it should be associated with those from Victoria. 



In recording the occurrence of T. taenia, McCoy(5) gives descriptions 

 and excellent figures, and there can be no doubt that the Victorian 

 examples are co-specific with those found round the New Zealand coast. 



With T. folystictus Ogilby it is more difficult to deal. Ogilby published 

 a description, but gave no figure. His specimen differs in the main from 

 T. taenia McCoy in having no spiny granules on the outer rays of the caudal 

 fin and a markedly difl'erent coloration, but in many other characters the 

 specimens agree. Why Ogilby should regard his specimen as being closely 

 allied to T. jacksonensis is not clear, as it is most certainly more nearly 

 related to T. taenia McCoy. 



Comparisons with other Regional Forms. 



T. rex-sahnonorum, from the Californian coast, as described by Jordan 

 and Gilbert(9), differs from the local species in the position and size of 

 the black spots. In nearly all other respects there is close agreement. 

 As previously stated, Emery showed that the position and number of spots 

 cannot eq relied on for specific purposes. Perhaps further investigations 

 will show identity between the Californian and New Zealand species, for 

 the two regions have much in common zoologically. 



With T. altivelis, described by Kner(15) from Valparaiso, one local 

 specimen shows close similarity. Jordan" and Gilbert originally identified 

 a Californian fish as T. altivelis, but in 1894 named it rex-sahnonorum. The 

 reasons for so doing were based on the angle of the nuchal crest, the height 

 of the dorsal and ventral fins, the texture of the skin, and the size and 

 position of the black spots — all characters, however, that depend on the 

 state of development, and, as previously mentioned, change greatly during 

 the growth of the fish. 



Nomenclature of Australasian Trachipterids. 



Until more evidence has been collected regarding the life-history of 

 the Southern Pacific forms of these fishes all efforts at correct nomen- 

 clature must be regarded as tentative only. 



In consideration of the wide distribution of these deep-sea fishes, 

 previous wiitere have compared their specimens with those found chiefly 



