224 Transactions. 



was still alive wliei) fiist seen, but in a very sickly condition, due apparently 

 to the presence of a truly enormous quantity of both tape and round worms. 

 The whole digestive tract of the unfortunate animal was distended to burst- 

 ing-point, and when stranded it was observed that the worms protruded 

 from both the mouth and vent of the fish. Specimens of the worms were 

 forwarded to Professor Haswell. of Sydney, who handed them to Dr. S. J, 

 Jolmston for determination. 



The presence of worms in stranded sunfishes, or those obtained in a 

 dying condition, seems to be the rule rather than the exception. To men- 

 tion New Zealand examples only, Archdeacon Williams* records an indi- 

 vidual taken in December, 1889, which measured 9 ft. in length and ll|ft. 

 in extreme depth — " As soon as the fish was dead, a long worm, many yards 

 in leng-th and like a narrow tape, began to come out of the mouth, and the 

 end had n.ot appeared when the fish was buried, two days afterwards." 

 Writing on a still larger sunfish from Napier, the late Mr. S. H. Drewf men- 

 tions " vast quantities of internal parasites that infested the fish. The 

 fishermen spoke of hxige knots of tape-like worms as big as two fists, and 

 masses matted together of round smooth worms of several kinds." Parker;}: 

 described a large sunfish from Otago Harbour, and mentioned that the 

 intestine contained immpnse numbers of a species of Taenia and a Distoma. 



The New Brighton sunfish is a comparatively small one, and was cast 

 for exhibition in the Canterbury Museum. Prior to this some notes were 

 made on the proportions and coloration, and these are reproduced below. 

 It should be remarked, however, that in consequence of the varying relative 

 proportions which sunfishes undergo from early to adult life the figures 

 supplied shoidd be taken in conjunction with the size of the specimen. 

 Mr. A. R. McCulloch § has recently published some very beautiful illus- 

 trations of young sp'i'cimens (Molacantlms) showing the quaint forms of 

 immature sunfishes. 



The body of our example is covered, carapace-like, with a callous skin, 

 studded Avith small prickles like that of some species of Monacanthus ; this 

 skin extends to the base of the caudal, but does not enclose the bases of the 

 vertical fins, thus allowing them freedom of movement. The pectoral is 

 similarly situated in a non-callous area, formed of a thinner prickless skin, 

 which is the nature of the cuticle surrounding the dorsal, caudal, and anal 

 fins. The marginal bony scutes on the tail are 12 in number, and are dis- 

 ])osed along almost its entire edge. 



The length of the head is 3-75 ; the depth of the body, 149 in the total ; 

 the diameter of the eye, 545 ; the length of the snout, 24 ; the interorbital 

 space and the length of the caudal, 1-5 in the head. 



Colours. — The coloration is blackish-brown above and silvery below, with 

 darker vertical flecks above the pectoral, and with light blotches behind it. 

 These alternate with the ground-colour, forming a wavy pattern on the 

 hindei' part of the carapace. 



Some Dimensions.— Total length, 900 mm. ; length of head, 240 mm. ; 

 depth of body, 605 mm. ; height of dorsal fin, 410 mm. ; height of anal fin, 

 425 mm. ; length of pectoral fin, 120 m_m. ; length of caudal fin, 160 mm. 



* William.s. Trans. N.Z. Inst., vol. 25, 1893, p. 110. 

 t Drew, Trans. N.Z. Inst., vol. 29, 1897, p. 286. 

 i Parker, Trans. N.Z. Inst., vol. 29, 1897, p. 627. 

 § McCulloch, P.L.S. N.S.W., xxxvii, 1913, pis. Iviii and lix. 



