92 Transactions. — Zoology. 



Art. IX. — On Exocoetus ilma: a Netv Species of Flijing-fish. 



By F. E. Clarke. 



\_Read before the Wellington Philosophical Society, IMh March, 1899.] 



Plate VI. 



It is not without due consideration and careful watching of 

 this species for a long period that I have the honour of 

 introducing it to your notice. The first specimen I obtained 

 carries memory back to a universally known figure in the 

 New Zealand tjnion Steamship Company's service, some few 

 years ago entombed in a watery grave — I allude to the late 

 Captain John Mcintosh. Whilst on a voyage from the west 

 coast of the South Island to Sydney in May, 1882, in the 

 s.s. " Alhambra," having gained an offing of eighty to a hun- 

 dred miles from the land we left the previous evening, I was 

 on deck at sunrise, it being a beautiful clear morning, with but 

 the lightest breeze and a long, low, lazy swell. Whilst walking 

 up and down the deck with the above-mentioned officer a 

 small flight of flying-fish arose from the sea, and passed, with 

 one exception, over the vessel, rising above the awning then 

 stretched over the quarter-deck. The exception came on 

 board between the rail and the awning, falling almost at our 

 feet. " A happy omen, Clarke," the captain exclaimed, 

 "you shall have it cooked for your breakfast." I picked it 

 up, and, after examining it, replied, " No, captain, I think it 

 is a new variety from the great length of its fins ; I will 

 embalm it in some of the steward's best gin or whisky pro 

 tern., and devote its body to a more scientific fate." 



Since that date several of the same kind were washed 

 ashore on the coast of Westland, whilst one was caught on a 

 hght line by Mr. Harry Breeze, of Hokitika, when fishing for 

 Agonostoma ("aua," so-called herring or sea-mullet) from the 

 beach. Several of these were carefully examined and com- 

 pared by me with my original drawing and notes, and ex- 

 hibited the same characters as my type specimen, and all, 

 strange to say, were about the same size. It has also come 

 under my observation on shore, once on the coast of Taranaki ; 

 and twice whilst on the sea, when fishing from or paddling 

 in a Eob Eoy canoe, flying-fish, which arose from the water 

 close by the canoe, had apparently the same large black type 

 of pectorals. It may be useful to record that several times 

 since my residence here flying-fish have been reported to me 

 as having been seen ofi" the end of our breakwater. 



