60 FISHES OF NEW ZEALAND. 



half tlie distance of its root from the ventral, and of the ventral more 

 than one-ludf of its distance from the vent ; the least depth of the tail is 

 two-thirds of the distance between the dorsal and caudal fins. 



Back dark brownish grey ; sides and belly much paler, with irregular 

 transverse markings of brownish grey on the sides ; the whole body 

 covered with minute black dots, the darker parts and bands being formed 

 by their closer juxtaposition ; sometimes yellowish ; young yellowish 

 olive, with numerous small round blackish spots on the body and fins. 



Lake Coleridge, Lake Guyon. 



Presented by W. T. L. Travel's, Esq. 



Attains a length of 5 to 6 inches. 



96. GALAXIAS ATTENUATUS. Jenyns. CM. 



Minno-w. 



3fesites attenuatus, Jenyns, p. 121, pi. 22; M. scriba, Rich., p. 76. M. 

 maculatus, Rich., p. 75, pi. 43. G. attenuatus, Giinth., VI., 210. 



B. 7; D. 9-11 ; A. 16-17; P. 12; V. 7. 



Length five to five and a half times that of the head, or eight to ten 

 times the height of the body ; diameter of the eye one-fifth of the length 

 of the head, eqxial, or nearly equal, to the snout ; length of the pectoral 

 one-third of the distance of its root from the ventral, and the ventral only 

 one-third of its distance from the anal ; the least depth of the tail is not 

 quite one-half the distance between the dorsal and caudal fins. 



Greenish yellow, more or less spotted with brown, each spot being 

 composed of minute dots ; top of the head generally darker than the 

 rest of the body ; operculum silveiy. 



Vei-y variable, especially in tlie shape of the snout, the prominence 

 of the eyes, and in the color, being sometimes almost withoiit spots, and 

 sometimes largely blotched on the back and sides with dark brown. 



Abundant ; Waikato, Lake Taupo, River Avon, Chatham Islands. 



Attains a total length of 4| to 5 inches. 



In the Waikato these fish go down to the sea to spawn in April or 

 May, and the young return in September, October, and November, 

 when, together with the young of Retropinna richardsoni, they are 

 called Whitebait. 



Tasmania, Falkland Islands, and southern parts of South Americfi 



