Paekee. — Notes on Moa-shdls. 223 



Aet, XVIII. — Note on the Occurrence of Lophotes in New 

 Zealand Waters. 



By T. Jeffeey Paekee, D.Sc, F.R.S. 



[Read before the Otago Institiite, 13th June, 1893.] 



The genus Lophotes forms, according to Dr. Giinther, a sepa- 

 rate division of Acanthopterygian fishes. I quote his descrip- 

 tion from " The Study of Fishes," p. 519 : — 



" Seventeenth Division. — Acafithopterygii lophotiformes . 



"Body riband-shaped, with the vent near its extremity; a 

 short anal behind the vent ; dorsal fin as long as the body. 



" Only one species is known of this division or family, 

 Lophotes ccpedianus. It is most probably a deep-sea fish, but 

 does not descend to so great a depth as the Trachypteridce, its 

 bony and soft parts being well coherent. It is a scarce fish, 

 hitherto found in the Mediterranean, off Madeira, and in the 

 Sea of Japan ; its length is known to exceed 5ft. The head is 

 elevated into a very high crest, and the dorsal fin commences 

 with an exceedingly strong and long spine on the head. Silvery, 

 with rose-coloured fins." 



To the localities above mentioned must be added Cape 

 Colony, since a fine local specimen is to be seen in the South 

 African Museum, Cape Town. The occurrence of the fish in 

 New Zealand also seems to indicate that, like many other 

 deep-sea fishes, it is practically cosmopolitan. 



The present specimen came ashore at the St. Clair Baths, 

 near Dunedin, last December, and was very generously pre- 

 sented to the Museum by the bath-keeper, Mr. Stark. It is 

 4ft. 8iin. (143cm.) in length, and reached the Museum in an 

 excellent state of preservation, except for the fact that the 

 rose-colour of the fins had faded. 



A coloured figure of this very beautiful and interesting 

 fish is given in the illustrated edition of Cuvier's " Eegne 

 Animal," Poissons, Atlas, pi. 70. 



Aet. XIX. — Notes on Three Moa-skuUs, probably referable 

 to the Genus Pachyornis. 



By Professor T. Jeffeey Paekee, D.Sc, F.R.S. 



[Read before the Otago Institute, 14th Novcmher, 1893.] 



In the collection of moa-bones recently made at Enfield, near 

 Oamaru, by Mr. J. Flett, there are three skulls of special 



