38 FISHES OF NEW ZEALAND. 



only one-fifth of the diameter of the eye ; vent under the fovxrth dorsal 

 ray ; maxillary bone terminating anteriorly in a spine. 



Reddish olive, or reddish purple, sometimes with six or seven darker 

 bands on the back ; venti'als, fore part of anal, and lower margin of 

 pectorals reddish. 



Wellington Harbour. 



CENTRISCID^. 



Body compressed, oblong, or elevated ; the anterior hones of the skull 

 much 2)roduced, forming a tube, which terminates in a narrow mouth ; 

 teeth none ; body with dermal ossifications ; two dorsal fins, the spinous 

 short, and with one of the spines strong; ventrals abdominal, small, or 

 rudimentary. 



Centsiscus. 



Body covered with small rough scales ; some bony strips on the side 

 of the back, and on the margin of the thorax and abdomen ; four 

 branchiostegals. 



England, Africa, Japan, and Australia. 



60. CENTRISCUS HUMEROSUS. Rich. CM. 



Snipe Fish. 



C. humerosus, Rich., p. 56, pi. 34. Giinth., III., 522. 



D. 7'|15; A. 17. 



Length equal to two and two-fifths that of the head, or two and one- 

 fourth times the height of the body ; second dorsal S2)ine very strong, 

 nearly as long as the head, and with two rows of teeth on its posterior 

 edge ; subojjerculum rough, with small spines on its inferior margin. 



A dried specimen is in the Museum, from Cook Sti'aits. 



Australia. 



FISTULARID^. 



Greatly elongated, anterior hones of the skull produced into a tube, 

 which is terminated by a narrow mouth ; scales none, or small ; ventrals 

 abdominal. 



FiSTULARIA. 



Body scaleless ; caudal forked, with the two middle rays produced 

 into a filament ; no free dorsal spines ; teeth small. 

 Tropical parts of the Atlantic and Indian Oceans. 



