PISCES 201 
Caulopsetta scaphus Gill, Mem. Nat. Acad. Sci. vi., 1893, pp. 
121, 124. 
Sianons, £2. 3, 5, 6, 16, 17,18 19,20, 21. 22. 28.25, 26. 27, 
28, 29, 31, 32, 35, 36, 39, 40, 43, 46, 47, 48, 49, 50, 51, 54, 
61, 63, 64, 65, 66, 67, 69, 70, 71, 74, 81, 86, 87, 89, 90. 91, 92. 
B. vii.; D. 117; A. 95; V. sin. 6, dex. 6; P. sin. 14, dex. 10; 
C. 14 + 4; L. lat. 85*; Vert. 12 + 35 — 47. 
Length of head 4.1, height of body 2.2, length of caudal 5.5 
in the length: eyes on the left side, lower eye one-fourth its 
length in advance of the upper, and 5.5 in the length of the 
head, snout longer than the eye: interorbital space a very 
narrow raised ridge, one-fourth the depth of the eye: nostrils 
in a depression in advance of the interorbital ridge: mouth 
nearly symmetrical with teeth on both sides, though less exten- 
sive on the left, the maxilla is 2.5 in the length of the head. 
Fins.—The dorsal fin commences over the anterior nostril, the 
longest rays being one-fifth the height of the body, it extends to 
the base of the upper caudal ray: both ventrals distinct and free 
from the anal, the latter similar to the dorsal: the length of 
the left pectoral is 1.8 in that of the head, the right being 
smaller and shorter: caudal rounded, the peduncle about 
half the length of the fin. 
Scales—Ctenoid, imbricate, absent from the jaws and fore part 
of the head, but extending on to all the fin rays, the pectoral 
excepted. The lateral line forms a bold arch over the pectoral, 
the top of the arch being quite flat, the line thence passes evenly 
along the middle of the body: the scales of the lower side are 
nearly smooth and extend on to the fin rays of the caudal only; 
the lateral line is well developed and has a similar contour to 
that of the upper side. 
Colours.—The upper surface, including the fins, is uniform 
greyish yellow, with minute irregularly disposed black spots; 
lower surface uniform yellow. 
Length.—325 mm. 
The commonest and most widely distributed of the fiatfishes 
of New Zealand, and yet, unfortunately, the least valuable. 
It was taken from one end of the course to the other, and at all 
depths tested: it is a very thin species, and the long fine bones 
render it unsuited for table use. In the official reports it is 
entered as ‘‘Megrim Ammotretis sp. ind.,’’ and in his report 
on the 1900 expedition Mr. Ayson wrote :—‘‘This fish was found 
*The scales are counted from the margin of the opercle. 
