OCCASIONAL NOTES. 167 



University, on seeing the fish, pronounced it to be Lainpris luna, 

 of which only one previous specimen is recorded as having been 

 caught in New Zealand, namely on the coast of Wellington in 

 1883." 



A short notice of this former occurrence was published by 

 Hector,* who states that the superb fish was cast on the beach 

 near the Manawatu River, in December 1882, and presented to 

 the Wellington Museum. 



In 1895 a specimen was obtained in Tasmania This is recorded 

 by Morton,! who writes : — " This very interesting specimen, the 

 first on record of having been captured in Australia, was forwarded 

 to the Museum by Mr. Alfred Lovett, on December 18th, 1895. 

 Mr. Lovett states that it was found washed up on the beach near 

 Port Arthur, and weighed 130 lbs. Unfortunately the crows had 

 picked and destroyed one side. . . . the branchiostegals were 

 six in number, there was no sign of a seventh." 



The specimen now in Sydney, has been exhibited for the past 

 three weeks in the window of the Fresh Food and Ice Co., 

 daily, and placed upon ice for preservation at night. Owing 

 to the price at which the fish was valued by the Company, the 

 Trustees of the Museum have not been able to secure it for the 

 National Collection. The following dimensions have been kindly 

 supplied by tlie Manager of tlie Company : — Length 3ft. 6in., 

 height 2ft. -iin., thickness 9in. 



EDGAR R. WAITE. 



* Hector — Trans. New Zeal. Inst., xvi., 1883, p. 322. 

 t Morton— Proc. Eoy. Soc. Tasm., 1896 (1897) p. 99. 



