FISHES OF NEW ZEALAND. 65 



Abundant all over New Zealand, sometimes attaining to a length of 

 6 feet. In the Waikato large numbers of eels go down to the sea in 

 February and March to breed, although many remain in fresh water 

 all the year round. The young eels come up the river at the end of 

 November, just after the Whitebait. 



Auckland Islands. 



Two skeletons, prepared by Dr. Knox, are in the Museum. 



103. ANGUILLA LATIROSTRIS. Risso. 



A. dieffenbachii, Gray. A. latirostris, Giinth., VIII., 32. 

 The length of the head is contained once and a half or once and three- 

 fourths in the distance of the gill openings from the origin of the dorsal 

 fin, and twice and a half in its distance from the vent ; distance between 

 the commencement of the dorsal and anal fins shorter than the head ; 

 lips broad and fleshy ; lower jaw prominent ; angle of the mouth below 

 the hind margin of the eye, which is rather small, much shorter than 

 the snout ; tail considerably longer than the body ; mandibulary teeth 

 in a single band, without longitudinal groove (Giinth.) 



New Zealand (British Museum) ; Europe, Nile, China, West Indies. 



I have seen no specimens. 



104. ANGUILLA AUSTRALIS, Rich. CM. 

 A. australis, Rich., p. 112, pi. 45. Jenyns, p. 142. Gunth., VIIL, 36. 

 The length of the head is contained two and a half times in the distance 

 between the gill openings and the vent ; dorsal commences at a distance 

 before the vent, which is contained five times in the length of the head ; 

 lower jaw rather longer ; angle of the mouth rather behind the posterior 

 angle of the eye ; tail longer than the body in the proportion of eight 

 to five and four-fifths ; vomerine hand of teeth short, not quite reaching to 

 the anterior nuirgin of the eye. 



Olivaceous brown, white below ; dorsal and anal whitish. 



Hutt River, Whanganui River, Auckland Islands, Tasmania, Timor. 



Conger. 



Nostrils lateral ; cleft of mouth Avide, extending at least to below the 



middle of the eye ; some of the teeth set so close as to form a cuttinf^ 



edge ; no canines ; vomerine band of teeth short ; dorsal commencing 



* near the head, hut behind tlie root of the pectoral ; gill oi)enin<^s laro-e, 



near to the abdomen. 



Seas of temperate and tropical regions. 



I 



