CEPIIALUR11YNC1IU8 ALIilFKONH. 



Tabic of iiu'dHiiycincuts — C'oiitiiuieil. 



Ill 



CEPHALORHYNCHUS ALBIFRONS True. 



Eleetra dancnla Hector, Traus., New Zealand Inst., v, 1873, p. IGO-IG'2, pis. 1 aud 

 3 (skull and exterior) ; Hutton, Traus. New Zi\aland Inst., ix, 1877, p. 350. 



It is evident from the tigures given by I lector that this species is not 

 allied to the section of tlie genus Laijenorhynclius which Gray called 

 Eleetra, but rather to the genus Cephalorhyuchus. It also appears to me 

 equally plain that it is not identical with the preceding species, C. 

 hcavisidei. Hector's account is full and clear, and the essential state- 

 ments in it are repeated by Hutton, who appears to have written from 

 his own knowledge. The latter writer states that it is "abundant all 

 around the coasts of New Zealand," while Hector aflQrms that the differ- 

 ent individuals observed were very uniform in color. 



The species differs from C. heavisidei chiefly in having the whole 

 head white, and in having a dorsal fin ovate rather than triangular in 

 outline. The cervical vertebrae are represented to be anchylosed to- 

 gether into a single mass, but tnis is probably an error. 



The skull apparently very closely resembles that of G. Jwavisidei, but 

 is larger, with wider nares. The pterygoids, according to Hector's 

 figure, are large and constricted at the base somewhat as in C. eutropia. 



The entire animal would appear to be larger than C. heavisidei. Hut- 

 ton gives its length as from 4 to 5 feet. The latter dimensions are not 

 reached by any of the specimens of C. heavisidei thus far acquired, so 

 far as I am aware. 



