396 Dr. A. Giinther on neio Species of Fishes. 



but really consisting of two rays. Caudal subtruncate. Brown, 

 covered all over with round whitish spots. 



One specimen, 6| inches long, from Dunedin, obtained from 

 the Otago Museum. This fish has been named by Capt. 

 Hutton Psychrolutes latus ; and, from a careful comparison with 

 Psychrolutes paradoxus^ I can confirm the correctness of his 

 view as regards the affinity of these two fishes ; but the 

 presence of a well-developed first dorsal appears to me to 

 demand the separation of the New-Zealand fish into a distinct 

 genus. The discovery of this fish led me to reconsider the 

 position which the family Psychrolutidas ought to take in the 

 system. As the absence of the first dorsal cannot be retained 

 as one of the characters of the family (which would connect it 

 with the Gobiesocidffi); I think those fishes ought to be removed 

 from the division of G oh iesoci formes to that of the Cotto- 

 scombriformesj where it would follow the Batrachidge *. 



Cre^idogastei' Hectoris. 

 D. 7. A. 8. 



Snout flattened, not produced, its length being not quite 

 twice the diameter of the eye, or equal to the width of the 

 interorbital space. The length of the head is two sevenths 

 of the total (without caudal). Caudal peduncle slender, longer 

 than the caudal fin, the short dorsal and anal being widely 

 separated from the latter fin. Ventral sucker small, not broader 

 than long. Red. 



One specimen from the southern shore of Cook's Strait, 

 26 lines long ; presented by Dr. Hector, C.M.G. 



Atlierina hepsetus (L.). 



A specimen from Tasmania, sent by Morton Allport, Esq., 

 is most probably identical with this European species. But 

 as it has 72 scales in the lateral line, it will be necessary 

 to compare more specimens in order to finally decide on this« 

 identification. 



Atlierinichthys nigrans (Rich.). 



The fish on which Count Castelneau has bestowed tlie new 

 generic name of Zantecla is this species or one very closely 

 allied to it. 



* In my systematic synopsis of the families of Acanthopterygian fishes 

 a misleading error has crept in (p. ix), the family Psychrolutidse being 

 characterized by " Ventrals none," instead of " No adhesive ventral appa- 

 ratus." Also the diagnosis of the fourteenth division should be corrected 

 by striking out the words " or entirely absent," 



