184 WAITE 
Head rounded, snout depressed, mouth sub-horizontal, the 
maxilla extending to beneath the hinder edge of the orbit, upper 
jaw slightly the longer, eye large near to the upper profile, inter- 
orbital space broad and flat; gills four, a slit behind the fourth, 
gill-rakers moderate fourteen on the first arch, eleven being on 
the lower limb. A barbel below the chin. 
Teeth_—Villiform teeth in bands in the jaws, none on the 
tongue vomer or palatines. 
Scales—Head and body entirely covered with small scales; 
lateral line well marked; it forms a long arch to below the 
middle of the second dorsal fin, thence straight to the caudal. 
Colours.—In life the general hue is grey with a reddish tinge. 
with iridescent bluish lines above and pinkish beneath: the 
dorsal fins are reddish-grey tipped with black, a blood-red mark 
towards the edge of the first fin: a large black blotch on the 
body behind the operculum, including the upper base of the 
pectoral, more extensive on its inner side; pectoral and anal red, 
without markings; caudal red edged with black. On 
removal from the water the grey colour speedily gives place to 
a uniform red, hence the vernacular name. 
Length.—372 mm. 
The stomachs of specimens examined yielded remains of 
crustaceans, also of the fishes Argentina elongata and Caranx 
trachurus. This species commonly harbours the crustacean 
Chondracanthus lotellae Thomson, of which it is the type host, 
and, as previously mentioned (p. 134) it is frequently attacked 
by the Blind Eel (Eptatretus cirrhatus) exhibiting large 
wounds in its sides as a result. 
The red cod was taken very generally throughout the cruise, 
but much more plentifully and uniformly so at the southern 
stations; the largest number of individuals netted at single 
Stations is as follows :— 
Stations 9: 010) Sy lb) 20 a2 Aine OMe 
Specimens 141 750 484 175 204 217 270 115 300 
Two hundred examples were also taken at each of Stations 
77 and 81, both south of Hawke Bay. The vertical range was 
from 9 to 102 fathoms. 
This is one of the commonest of the New Zealand food fishes, 
but, unfortunately, it does not find much favour as a market 
species, and I am told that the trawlers return large quantities 
to the water, these, having been subjected to the pressure of the 
net, if not actually dead, never recover, even if, for the time 
being, they escape their natural enemies. 
