PISCES 159 
little nearer the end of the snout than to the eye. Lower jaw 
slightly the longer, cleft of mouth oblique, the maxilla extends 
to beneath the first third of the eye; gill openings wide, gill- 
rakers thin, long and slender, ninety-four on the first arch, of 
which sixty-seven are on the lower limb. 
Body shghtly compressed, belly rounded, abdominal scutes not 
much developed, nineteen in front and fourteen behind the 
origin of the ventral fin. 
Teeth.—None. 
Fins.—The origin of the dorsal is nearer to the end of the 
snout than to the base of the caudal, the longest rays are one- 
half the length of the head; the distance between the origin of 
the anal, and that of the dorsal is equal to the distance 
between the latter and the front margin of the eye; pectoral 
low, its length equal to the head less the snout; ventral placed 
posterior to the middle of the dorsal, its length equal to the 
distance between the end of the snout and the middle of the 
eye or 2.7 in the length of the head; caudal deeply cleft. the 
height of the peduncle one-half greater than the diameter of the 
eye. 
Colours.—Back dark-blue, sides silvery, details cannot be 
ascertained owing to the poor condition of the specimen. 
Length.—179 mm. 
The Pilchard was not actually trawled during the period I 
was on the vessel, but was obtained from the stomachs of 
Macruronus novae-zelandiae. Mr. Anderton sent me _ three 
examples taken at Station 167, in Golden Bay, at the northern 
extremity of the South Island; the depth recorded is 16-17 
fathoms but the fishes had evidently been ejected by some other 
fish as they are partially digested. 
If properly fished for, the pilchard should prove a most 
valuable source of food, for it is evidently common on both 
the Australian and New Zealand coasts. Hector? stated that 
it visits the east coast of Otago every year in February and 
March, and when the schools migrate they extend as far as the 
eye can reach, followed by a multitude of gulls, mutton birds, 
barracouta, and porpoises. So densely packed are they in 
some years, that by dipping a pitcher in the sea, it would 
contain half fish; so that if large boats and suitable nets were 
employed, thousands of tons could be caught. 
(2) Hector, Edible Fishes N.Z. 1872, p. 119. 
