216 FAUNA OF NEW ZEALAND. 



longest, and the others diminishing gradually to the uppermost 

 and undermost, which are short. All the rays are forked at the 

 tips; and a triangular patch of small scales covers the base of the 

 central ones. The elliptical and rather acute ventrals are attached 

 nearly half their own length before the pectorals. Their short, 

 slender spine has a flexible tip. The other five rays are forked, 

 the fourth being the most so, as well as the stoutest and longest. 

 The flat, scaly space between the bases of the ventrals exceeds 

 them in breadth. The tips of these fins when laid back go a 

 little beyond the middle of the pectorals, and just touch the first 

 anal ray. The dorsal, commencing over the first third of the 

 pectorals, extends to near the caudal fin : its fourth ray stands 

 over the anus. Two or three of the anterior rays are graduated, 

 the next portion of the fin is nearly even, and about one-quarter 

 higher than the depth of the body. The posterior quarter of the 

 fin is also graduated, and the last ray has only one-third of the 

 length of the tallest one. All the rays are jointed, tapering, and 

 flexible ; and, with the exception of two thin middle ones, which 

 are faintly forked, they are all simple. The membrane of this, 

 as of all the other fins, is transparent and delicate, and disappears 

 so readily when handled, that its original extent cannot be ascer- 

 tained in the specimen. The figures represent it as being nearly 

 as deep as the rays, and showing a notch behind each of their 

 tips. The anal is similar to the dorsal in shape and structure, 

 but is one-third less in height. Its first spine stands on the 

 verge of the anus, and is distinctly jointed. The central rays are 

 rather more evidently forked at the tips than the corresponding 

 dorsal ones. Both fins, when laid back in their respective fur- 

 rows, lie with all their rays turned to the same side, as is usual 

 with the blennies, and not alternately to right and left, like the 

 spinous rays of most acanthopterygii. The caudal fin is com- 

 posed of 8 forked rays, 2 simple graduated ones above and below, 

 and 2 short incumbent basal ones. The first upper-forked one 

 is the largest, and forms an acute projecting tip to the otherwise 

 rounded fin. Dr. DiefTenbach's figure corresponds, in this re- 

 spect, with the specimen, so that the fin has not been mutilated 

 since the drawing was made. But Forster gives a slightly cres- 

 centic terminal edge to the caudal. The length of the part of 

 the tail which is intercepted between the caudal and the two 

 other vertical fins is about equal to its height. The anal papilla 

 is small, and does not project beyond the orifice. 



In Dr. Dieffenbach's sketch the general colour of the head, 



