Waite. — -Notes on New Zealand Fishes. 197 



Some of the scutes are much larger than others, and their exact number 

 and disposition are shown in the illustration. The covering of the main 

 stalk of the tentacle is formed of a mosaic of very small scutes, which also 

 bear spines, but they are reduced to hard tubercles. 



Colours. — After long immersion in preservative the general colour is 

 a pale-flesh tint; the margin of the jaws, the post-dental frenum, the space 

 around the eyes, and the wart-like elevation on the chin are brown ; the 

 mid-line of the back and part of the stalk of the tentacle are also brown : 

 the branches of the tentacle are black, but their tips are white. 



Some Measurements. — Extreme length, chin to end of caudal, 410 mm. ; 

 length as basis for comparisons, 270 mm. ; length of head to gill-opening, 

 135 mm.; diameter of eye, 10 mm.: length of tentacle-stalk, 78 mm.; 

 extreme length of tentacle, inclusive. 205 mm. 



7. Saccarius lineatus Giinther. 



In 1861 Giinther* diagnosed a new genus and species of the Pediculati 

 under this name. The type was a single specimen taken at the Bay of 

 Islands, New Zealand, presented to the British Museum by Sir A. Smith. 



The reference is duly included in the " Catalogue of New Zealand 

 Fishes,"f also in the " List of New Zealand Fishes," likewise issued by 

 Captain Hutton. J In his later list§ the reference is entirely omitted, 

 and is not, in consequence, found in the " Basic List of the Fishes of New 

 Zealand."|! 



This Antennariid is duly catalogued by Gill. If and, as I have not seen 

 any note discrediting the stated habitat, I presume that the omission by 

 Hutton was purely accidental. I therefore take this opportunity of draw- 

 ing attention to the omission, in order that it may not be again overlooked. 

 The type specimen appears to be the only example so far known. 



8. Oreosoma atlanticum Cuvier and Valenciennes. 



Plate XI. 



During a recent visit to the Newtown Museum, Wellington, I noticed 

 in one of the exhibition cases a small fish which seemed familiar, though 

 at the time I was unable to name it. I find it to be an example of Oreo- 

 soma, and the consciousness of recognition is explained by the figures of 

 Cuvier and Valenciennes^ and the copy by Goode and Bean, familiar to all 

 ichthyologists. The specimen was kindly lent to me by Mr. Perry, the 

 librarian in charge, who informed me that the specimen was obtained alive 

 on the beach at Lyall Bay, near Wellington. 



The genus Oreosoma is represented by a single species, of which only 

 one example was previously known : it was taken in the Atlantic, and 

 is only 1^ in. in length. This little fish was described in 1829 by Cuvier 

 and Valenciennes, who state that the name Oreosoma was given in allusion 

 to the great cones on the body, which resemble sugar-loaves, and are so 

 rugged and bold that a drawing of the fish resembles a chart of a volcanic 

 country. 



* Giinther, Cat. Fish. Brit, Mus., vol. 3. 1861, p. 183. 



t Hutton, Cat. Fish. N.Z., 1872, p. 30. 



% Hutton, Trans. N.Z. Inst., vol. 22, 1890, p. 280. 



§ Hutton. " Index Faunae Novae-Zealandiae," 1904. 



|| Waite, Rec. Cant. Mus., vol. 1. 1907. 



«f GUI Smiths. Miscell. Coll.. vol. 19. 1880, p. 222. 



