1"^ EDIBLE FISHKS. 



tliis work w;is j)riutixl oii;ibles me to give its chaiMcters in more detail 

 tliau Ca])taiii Huttou was enabled to do with the imperfect specimens at 

 his command. PI. I. fig. 1 is an ontline of this specimen, which is now 

 placed in the Museum. It weighed 50tt)s., and measvired 44 inches in 

 length. 



If this is the same fish as is described by Professor Owen, the armed 

 tongue, double pointed operculum, and large number of pyloric ca^ca, 

 will no doubt remove it from the group in which it has been provision- 

 ally placed by Dr. Giinther. 



Among fishes sketched on the west coast of Otago in 1863, I find, 

 however, one that was named Whapuku by the Maoris, which differs 

 in several important points, so that two distinct fishes may be included 

 under this name. 



[Olujorus rjhjas, Owen. B. 7 ; D. Ji ; A. ^ ; L. C. 130 ; L. t. 60 ; C. py. 70 + . 



Length two and three-i|uarters that of the head ; height one-quarter less than 

 length of head, which is three and one-fifth times length of snout, and eight times 

 diameter of the eye. Spinous dorsal low, fiitli spine the highest, equals in length 

 the height, and is twice the length of the soft dorsal, with which it is continuous. 

 Anal is beneath the soft dorsal, but only two-thirds its length, both being rounded 

 and scaled at the base. Pectoral rounded, with one simple, and sixteen divided 

 rays. Ventral triangiilar beneath, and one-sixth shorter than pectoral, having the 

 spine rather stout Caudal truncate, with a thick fleshy base and twenty rays. 

 Head depressed and obli(juely elongate, the lower jaw projecting. Nasal apertures 

 large, three-fiftlis back on the snout. Pseudo-branchite lai-ge, tongue armed with 

 an oval patch of villiform teeth. Jaws with narrow bands of cardiform teeth ; 

 Ijharangeal teeth also cardiform. Vomerine patcli triangular ; palatine elongate, 

 both villiform. Distance Ijctween orbits less than one-fourth, and height at hrst 

 margin of orbit three-eighths length of head. 



The skull is slightly convex on top, with recurved ridge over the orbit and 

 one lateral ; occipital crest is feeble, and does not extend forwards. Pr;eorbital 

 expanded, slightly denticulate at lower margin ; sub-orbital narrow, with an 

 internal process supporting the eye-ball. Ujjper maxillary expanded behind, with 

 a very stout styliform base, supplementary bone to upper margin. Operculum with 

 two blunt squamous points separated by a notch, upper point feeble, lower point 

 terminating a distinct but low ridge. Pra^ojierculum with feeble serrations ; sub- 

 operculuin anil inter-operculum M'ith rounded marghis, also serrated in parts, 

 ffisoj^hngus one-half the length of the stomach, which is an elongated sac, with 

 thick wall strongly rugose, and pink on the internal surface ; length equals the 

 head ; liver equals the stomach in length ; gall bladder at the end of a tine duct of 

 nearly same length ; pancieatic ca;ca very numerous, forming a large collar-shaped 

 mass round the pylorus. Intestine four times the length of the stomach, m three 

 longitudinal folds and a short sigmoid flexure. Female generative organ bifurcate 

 half its length, which is e(xual to that of stomach, the o\a being undeveloped but 



