Clarke. — On Netv Zealand Galaxidae. 81 



names given to the two different species I mention at various 

 stages of their growth, in accordance with their usual system of 

 nomenclature, by which a human being might be "Brown" 

 when a boy, " Smith " as a hobbledehoy, or become " Eobinson " 

 in old age. My own observations are largely strengthened by 

 inquiries amongst our survey class of bush-wanderers, who 

 have an unfailing aptitude for discovery of anything in the 

 edible variety on legs, wings, or using fins. Mr. H. M. Skeet 

 is the only one of the latter who has informed me he has found 

 a spotted variety, but I still live in hope of finding the 

 existence of some of our southern types, especially as Neo- 

 charmcB are common to the two Islands. 



The larger Galaxias of the Taranaki streams, though 

 coloured like fasciatus and answering in other respects to 

 the description of that species, certainly, in those I have 

 examined, does not, in position of ventral and anal fins, 

 agree with the arrangement of Professor Hutton before 

 quoted ; and, in addition to the three other varieties I describe 

 at length, I have also given a new description of this fish, 

 with a drawing for comparison (Plate V.). 



With due deference to Professor Hutton's division of the 

 New Zealand species before referred to, I cannot quite get all 

 the types I have found in Westland to correspond with his 

 divisions as extant ; and, viewing his close attention and large 

 scope of observation in matters scientific, &c., I am of the idea 

 that two of the Westland types may not have come under his 

 ken, and am positive that one has not. The last one of these 

 is an interesting one, as more resembling Neochanna in form, 

 "if the ventrals were wanting," than any of the hitherto 

 described Galaxidce. 



For some years after 1870 — the date of my arrival in New 

 Zealand — at occasional intervals I obtained a few isolated 

 specimens of this fish amongst fry of G. attenuatus, Betro- 

 pinna richardsonii, Eleotris gobioides, and Prototroctes oxy- 

 rhynchus, the heterogenous collection making up the so-called 

 " whitebait " of the end of the inanga season in the Westland 

 rivers, though, strange to say, in my long experience and 

 ceaseless watching, season after season, I never found amongst 

 this collection the fry of any of the larger indigenous Westland 

 Galaxidce. It was not until 1887 that I got an adult fish, one 

 being caught by Mr. H. L. Eobinson when fishing for grayling 

 (upokororo) in the Hokitika Eiver, just above Glossop's Ferry. 

 Since that date I have taken them — but very occasionally — in 

 the Kanieri Eiver and Lake, Kawhaka Creek, Frosty and 

 South Creeks, and the tributaries of the last mentioned, which 

 can best be depended upon for the production of a specimen, 

 as they are not by any means common. I have designated 

 this variety G. robinsonii. 

 6 



