Q 20 Provincia, Museum Report, 1917 



of orbit. Caudal deeply forked, its longest ray equalling the diameter of the orbit. Colpr 
silvery, becoming posteriorly steel-grey, and finally black. Lips black, as are also the inside of 
the mouth and the gill-cavity, including the gill-arches. Peritoneum also black. 
One specimen, 4114 inches long, the property of the Provincial Museum of British Columbia. 
Benthodesmus elongatus (Clarke) from New Zealand differs notably from this species in 
the much more elongate form, the depth scarcely exceeding one-fortieth of the length. The 
third species of the genus B. tenuis (Guenther) from Japanese waters has much shorter vertical 
fins, the dorsal having but 126 rays and the anal but 71 rays. The specimen in hand differs in 
only minor respects from the description of B. atlanticus given by Goode & Bean. The width 
of the body is slightly greater, 234 in its height; the snout slightly longer, its 244 in the head; 
the mandibular tip shorter, 14 the orbit; the eye smaller, 24% in the snout. And there are four 
long teeth in the upper jaw, instead of three. The species has been known hitherto from a 
single specimen.—Smithsonian Miscellaneous Collections, Vol. 66, No. 18. 
In addition to the record in last year’s report, there has been a second occurrence of the 
sunfish (Mola mola) in British Columbia waters. ‘The specimen was caught by an Indian, 
Charles Stewart, off the coast of Princess Royal Island (which is about 450 miles north of 
where the first specimen was secured on Barkley Sound, V.I.); the second specimen was 
also secured and forwarded to the Museum by Mr. N. BE. Wheeling, Butedale Cannery, at 
Butedale, B.C. 5 
The sunfish in colour is a dark grey; sides greyish-brown, with silvery reflections; belly 
dusky; a broad blackish bar running along bases of dorsal, caudal, and anal fins. Pelagic, 
inhabiting most temperate and tropical seas, swimming slowly about near the surface, the 
high dorsal above the surface. (See Plate IV.) 
The following is a list of species of fishes which the Director sent to Dr. Gilbert for 
identification :-— 
Two species of whitefish, Coregonus quadrilateralis and Leucichthys pusillus, collected by 
F. Kermode in Atlin Lake, September 29th, 1913; Menominee whitefish (Coregonus quadrilat- 
eralis), sent from Carcross, Yukon, by W. T. Townsend; Mylochilus caurinus, Ptychocheilus 
oregonensis, Coregonus williamsoni, collected by J. A. Munro, Okanagan Lake; Leuciscus 
richardsoni, Ptychocheilus oregonensis, Cottus asper, Salmo gairdneri, Rhinichthys cataracte, 
collected near Hanceyille by W. A. Newcombe; Salvelinus malma, collected at Edgewood, Lower 
Arrow Lakes, by G. E. T. Pittendright; Salmo gairdneri, Salmo mykiss, collected by W. R. 
Carter, Deputy Game Warden, Alberni. 
Giant bass (Hrilepis zonifer). This fish was presented to the Museum by A. L. Hager, 
manager of the Canadian Fishing Company, Vancouver, who also kindly gave permission to 
reproduce the accompanying photograph, which gives the comparison of its great size. 
The BPrilepis weighed when taken from the water 159 lb.; measured 5 feet 91% inches in 
length and 19 inches in depth; was caught on halibut gear, the hooks being bated with herring, 
in 200 fathoms of water off the west coast of Queen Charlotte Islands, fifteen miles from Tasu, 
by the Canadian Fishing Company's schooner * Borealis,” Captain Chris. Johnson. (See Plates 
Vi; VE) : 
FURTHER NOTES ON ERILEPIS, THE GIANT BASS-LIKE FISH OF THE 
NORTH PACIFIC. 
By WitiiAm F. Thompson, OF STANFORD UNIVERSITY. 
In Copeia for April 24th, 1916 (No, 30), the writer noted the second occurrence of Erilepis 
conifer (Lockington) in the North. Pacific. Since then several interesting facts have come to 
light concerning this huge fish that have modified what was previously said. It is especially 
noteworthy that there is no special reason for believing the fish a stray from Japan, as has 
been conjectured. s 
According to one of the fishermen, the specimen already recorded has been taken in South- 
eastern Alaska, in one of the long inland straits which form the inland passage, either in 
Frederick Sound or Chatham Strait: The captain of the halibut-schooner, when seen at a 
later date, stated positively that the specimen was taken off the western coast of the Queen 

