234 WAITE 
the base of the ventrals is 3 2 in the total length, without caudal: 
the detached anal spine stands beneath the fourth dorsal ray: the 
pectoral is short, its length one-half that of the head, its upper 
insertion is level with the middle of the eye: the ventral is 
situated posterior to the insertion of the pectoral, and is slightly 
shorter than that fin: the caudal is deeply cleft, each lobe with 
a basal keel; the peduncle is very narrow as wide as deep. The 
lateral line is scarcely curved. Air bladder present. 
Teeth—Minute, present on the vomer and palatines, but not 
on the tongue. 
Colours.—Upper surface bluish grey with dark blue hnes and 
spots trending downwards and forwards to the lateral line, 
thence vertically or backwards; these markings extend to the 
midline of the body; the lower half of the body is silvery, with 
closely placed faint grey spots; the angle of the opercle is 
marked with radiating blue lines. The dorsal fins and finlets are 
dark blue, the ventrals and anal are colourless, while the pectoral 
is marked with black in its hinder third; a black axillary spot; 
outer and hinder edge of caudal narrowly bordered with black. 
Length.—522 mm (= 201% inches). 
The only example trawled was obtained in Palliser Bay the 
depth being 13-14 fathoms. 
The differences between the various supposed members of the 
genus Scomber, are so slight, and the difficulties of ascertaining 
the correct synonomy so great, that the identification of the New 
Zealand species with S. australasicus as distinct from S. pneu- 
matophorus, is very doubtful; the latter has been regarded as a 
synonym of 8S. colias. In addition to other features, the example 
before me has a much shorter head and lower body than is 
described for the other forms; even more striking are the pro- 
portions rendered by Giinther of (presumably) a specimen 26 
inches long, attributed to S. pneumatophorus. It is noteworthy 
that the specimens described as having a long head and deep 
body are generally small. The question of the svnonomy of the 
components of the genus Scomber is one which needs to be 
elucidated, but can only be accomplished by those who possess 
large collections and the necessary literature. Evermann and 
Kendall,44 who recently studied the claims of S. colas 
and S. pnewmatophorus, arrived at the conclusion that the two 
are specifically distinct, the former being the Atlantic and the 
latter the Pacific species. 
(41) Evermann and Kendall, P.U.S. Nat. Mus. xxxviii. 1910, p. 327. 
