Clarke. — Oii Lophotes on the Coast of Taranaki. 251 



Aet. XVII. — Notes on the Occurrence of a Species of 

 Lophotes on the Coast of Taranaki. 



By F. E. Clarke. 

 {^Read before the Wellington Philosophical Society, 26th A^igust, 1896.] 



Plate XVI. 

 The fish came on shore in August, 1895, on the long flat 

 beach south of the Waiwakaiho Kiver mouth, Taranaki, and 

 was brought into Mr. W. Bailey's butcher-shop, in New Ply- 

 mouth, where it was on exhibit for a day. Unfortunately I 

 had not the opportunity of seeing it personally, as I was ill at 

 the time. 



Eough sketches were made for me by Messrs. Saxton, 

 Collis, Gordon, and Doile, who also contributed verbal de- 

 scriptions of portions of the fish. Such information was 

 further intelligently enlarged by Mr. J. Harvey, manager 

 for Mr. Bailey in Central Devon Street shop, where the fish 

 was exhibited as before mentioned. This he was able to do 

 from his having the fish longer under his observation, and so 

 verified several particulars not sufficiently defined by the pre- 

 vious descriptions and sketches. 



The information received points to the stranger being a 

 Lophotes, though in some features the descriptions clash 

 with those given in Dr. Glinther's catalogue; but, of all fish 

 described (up to my present cognisance), the Lophotidce have 

 apparently escaped particular and minute attention in that 

 respect from their excessively rare occurrence, and recorded 

 specimens seem to be in bad condition as well. Our fish was 

 described as being perfect, except that one side was slightly 

 abraded from the rubbing on the sand, and one eye was 

 partially destroyed by the gulls or sea-lice. The finder thought 

 it must have run itself ashore whilst in pursuit of small fry — 

 perhaps whitebait. 



Where it differs from the catalogue description of the 

 genus and family before mentioned it sometimes agrees with 

 Swainson's remarks thereupon ; in other respects critical dif- 

 ferences arise which a lucky further knowledge may amend. 

 Comparison of my notes with the authors quoted will define 

 these. 



It was stated by all to resemble in profile view the propor- 

 tions and shape of the blade of a hand-saw, the head being 

 high and abrupt ; the dorsal line running back to the tail 

 almost in a level, the ventral line rising in a gradual incline ; 

 sides very much compressed ; in section the lower part of body 

 being much thicker than the upper, it being described as run- 

 ning to a fine edge along the base of the dorsal fin. The dorsal 

 fin was long and low ; fin-rays very numerous, with some por- 



