53 
capital on the 20th July, and reached Napier on the 22nd, after a very 
rough passage, which occupied eighteen hours longer than was anti- 
cipated. During this experience I lost a collecting-tank and its con- 
tents, and had one of my photographic cameras destroyed. 
While at Napier on this and the subsequent visit I was the guest 
of Messrs. J. J. Niven and Butcher, owners of the trawler, and take 
this opportunity of recording my appreciation of the kind manner 
in which they received me. 
I am also indebted to Mr. Niven for providing me with a small 
collection of fishes trawled in the vicinity of Hawke’s Bay, principally 
pleuronectids. These will be useful when the family is under examina- 
tion. 
Napier was left on the 25th July, and on the afternoon of the 
28th we anchored in Waitangi Bay, Chatham Islands. During our 
stay Stations 64 to 70 were charted, but time was principally spent 
in line-fishing, it being intended to secure a large quantity of fish 
for the Wellington market—an expectation amply fulfilled. Large 
catches of hapuku (Polyprion prognathus) and blue-cod (Parapercis 
colias) were made from the boats, and moki (Latris ciliaris), terakihi 
(Cheilodactylus macropterus), and other fishes were taken in set-nets. 
Pitt Island was also visited, and similarly satisfactory catches 
were made, the blue-cod attaining a weight of 9lb. Some of the 
island fishermen were engaged to assist in filling the cold-chamber. 
The lines were set with three hooks each, and it was a common 
occurrence to haul up three fishes at once, generally blue-cod. Though 
I obtained the heaviest fish (62 lb.) taken during our visit, a member 
of the crew secured three smaller hapuku on his'line at one time. On 
all other occasions a blue-cod had taken the third hook. 
Enormous bags of swimming-crabs (Platyonichus bipustulatus) and 
crayfish (Jasus edwardsi) were taken in Petre and Hanson Bays. 
Mr. Reuben Cannon, of Whangaroa, described to me a large red 
fish, numbers of which had been cast on to Topenga Bay, on the northern 
coast of Chatham Island, and from his description I had not the 
slightest doubt that he referred to the opah (Lampris retsius). As 
there was a chance of specimens or their remains being still on the 
beach, Mr. Cannon kindly furnished me with a horse, and himself 
acted as guide, the route traversed being across dangerous bogs and 
treacherous watercourses. Our quest was unsuccessful, and after a 
ride of eighteen miles we reached Mr. Cannon’s house, where I became 
his guest for the night, riding to Port Hutt next morning. Since 
returning to Christchurch I have seen a photograph of the fish, taken 
by Mr. Cannon’s brother, and it represents, as I had suspected, the 
opah. It is interesting to learn that several examples of this rare 
fish had been on the beach at the same time. 
Some individuals of the cattle on the island develop a taste for 
seaweed, and prefer it to grass. We saw several feeding on the shore, 
all miserably thin, which, Mr. Cannon informs me, is a characteristic 
