FISHES OP NEW ZEALAND. 67 



as long as the head ; eye about one-thii-d of the length of the snout ; the 

 teeth Oil the iutermaxillaries and on the vomer, and the anterioi* pair on 

 the mandibles are canine ; doreal commences behind the pectoral, which 

 is about one-sixth of the length of the head ; body rather more than 

 one half the length of the tail, or in the proportion of thirteen to 

 twenty-one. 



Greyish above, silvery below. 



Mediterranean, Atlantic, Japan, Australia, 

 The skeleton of the specimen desci'ibed by Dr. Hector, prepared by 

 Dr. Knox, is in the Museum. 



Order V.— LOPHOBRANCHII. 



Gills not laminated, but composed of small roiuided lobes attached to the 

 branchial arches ; gill cover reduced to a large simple plate ; a dermal 

 skeleton composed of numerous ^^iece* arranged in segments; snout 

 p>roduced ; mouth terminal, snudl, toothless. 



SYNGNATHIDvE. 



Gill openings reduced to a very small opening near the uppei- 

 posterior angle of the gill cover ; one soft dorsal fin ; no ventrals. 



Syngnathus. 



Tail not prehensile ; body with the ridges more or less distinct, the 

 dorsal edge of the trunk not continuous ivith that of the tail ; caudal and 

 pectoral fins present ; dorsal opposite to or near the vent ; males with 

 an egg pouch on the tail. 



Tropical and temperate regions. 



108. SYNGNATHUS PBLAGICUS. L. 



li. ptelagicus, Giinth., VIII. , 165. 



D. 29-31 ; Osseous rings, 17 + 32-35. 



The depth of the snout equals the distance of the front margin of the 

 orbit from the root of the pectoral fin ; shields without spines ; lateral 

 line intei-rupted ; tail longer than the body ; caiulal pouch short, about 

 half as long as the body. 



