110 THE RIBBON FISH. 



equally well to all, but if it should be held advisable to adopt it, 

 then our new acquaintance may be termed an Oar-fish. 



To an accidental glance at a dead fish lying upon the beach, 

 or rather to an intelligent appreciation of the value of the 

 accident, we are indebted for the present discovery. The cir- 

 cumstances attending it are these : Mr. F. R. Chester-Master, 

 Usher of the Rod in the Legislative Council, happening to be 

 travelling by coach along the coast, observed an object on the 

 sands near the Tweed River which excited his curiosity. Alight- 

 ing to examine it he found it to be a fish of extraordinary length, 

 narrowness, and flatness, coated with brilliant silver paint, and 

 bearing on its head " feelers " of great length, and judging that 

 such a fish would in all probability be at least rare and of 

 scientific value, determined to convey it to the Museum, not- 

 withstanding that it was sadly mutilated. The greater part of 

 its back had been torn away ; Mr. Master therefore detached the 

 less injured portions, about 18 inches of the fore end and 24 

 inches of the hind (after determining the whole length to be by 

 actual measurement 8 feet 9 inches and the greatest depth 11 

 inches), and relinquishing the rest took such excellent care to 

 preserve his prize that he was able to bring it in three days later 

 in a perfectly fresh condition. 



On consulting the literature of the Ribbon fish (a task 

 deprived of most of its terrors by the classical labour of Pro- 

 fessor Parker, published in the " Transactions of the New Zea- 

 land Institute "), it was found extremely probable that our 

 Queensland fish was foreign to all the species hitherto made 

 known. It is more nearly allied to Regalecus banksii, a British 

 fish, described by Professor McCoy as an inhabitant of Victorian 

 waters, but from this it is entirely distinct. 



If it be a compliment to the discoverer of the fish to connect 

 his name with the genus to which it belongs it is a compliment 

 well earned, and, as he good naturedly accepted it, I venture to 

 suggest that the species be known as R. masterii. 



Diagnosis. 



The first seven dorsal rays very elongate, not detached at 

 the base from the rest ; longitudinal ridges of body obsolete ; 

 lateral line interrupted, naked ; no teeth. 



