352 Transactions. 



Colour in Alcohol. — Above lateral line uniform light brown, densely 

 crowded with minute darker-brown dots, which are scarcely visible to the 

 naked eye ; below the lateral line it is much paler, and shows the muscular 

 structure through the skin. 



Measurements.— -Total length, 620 mm. ; vent to tip of snout, 250 mm. ; 

 origin of dorsal to end of snout, 96 mm. ; middle of eye to tip of snout, 

 11 mm. ; vertical depth of body, 18 mm. 



Described from a fine specimen sent me for identification by Mr. W. F. 

 Worley, of Nelson, to whom I am greatly indebted for the privilege of 

 examining it. Mr. Worley informs me that it was captured by Mr. Gossi 

 in Tasman Bay, near Nelson, and, although he had fished in the neigh- 

 bourhood daily for a number of years, he had never seen such an eel before. 



From the above it would appear to be rare in the south of New Zealand ; 

 but since receiving Mr. Worley's specimen the Auckland Museum has 

 received three others, taken in the Manukau Harbour by Mr. Hugh Wright, 

 of Epsom, who stated that they were not uncommon during November, 

 and came up readily to a light when held close to the water at night-time. 

 Our largest specimen from the Manukau Harbour is not quite so fine as 

 the Nelson fish, the latter being apparently fully grown, but except in size 

 I found no variation whatever. 



In a letter to me, Mr. A. R. McCulloch says, " The adult of this species 

 has never been properly described, and it is apparently very rare in museum 

 collections. Its discovery in New Zealand waters creates a most interesting 

 zoological record." 



Loc— Tasman Bay, near Nelson ; Manukau Harbour, Auckland. 



Family SERRANIDAE. 



Genus Callanthias. 



Callanthias splendens n. sp. (Plate LV, fig. 1.) 



D. xi/XI; A. iii/XI; V. i/V : P. XXI; C. XVI f. L. lat. 54-55; 

 L. t. 4/15 = 10. 



Body oblong, compressed, covered with moderate finely ctenoid scales 

 the bases of which are furnished with small to minute scales of a similar 

 character arranged in groups of from 3 to 5. Its depth is contained rather 

 less than 3J times in the total length. Lateral line continuous, commenc- 

 ing at upper angle of the operculum, then ascending obliquely backwards, 



reaching its highest point near to the base of the 

 4th dorsal spine ; it then follows an even course 

 close to the base of the dorsal fin and passes into 

 the caudal. The tube is straight, almost covering 

 each scale. Head, excepting the extreme tip of 

 snout, covered with small ctenoid scales ; it is 

 not contained quite 5 times in the total length, 

 db J^" ip ^/ and barely 1£ in the greatest height, which is 



Y^^^V*"* vertical from the 1st anal spine. Operculum 



£"£ 4S* / with 7 series of scales, and armed on its upper 



I ^£L<^ posterior margin with two moderately strong 



flattened spines placed close together, the lower 



Diagram of scales of Callan- bpi tlie l on p est . Preoperculum entire, its 



thias splendent, x 3. ^ rounde / and smootL Eye moderate, 



3 in the head. Interorbital space high, convex, covered with very small 

 ctenoid scales. Maxillary not extending quite as far as the vertical from 



