143 
in different individuals, but a pair in front of each dorsal fin and 
another pair behind the first dorsal seem to be very constant. A row 
of spots disposed in pairs is usually present along the lateral line, 
commencing between the spiracles; small irregular black spots are 
sometimes also present. In the young the tips of the first dorsal 
and the caudal are jet-black. 
Length of specimen described, 512 mm. (= 20 in.). 
Most of the adult females contained young, the highest number 
observed being seventeen. The following table shows the results of 
examination of eight individuals, including the number of young 
ones in each uterus. 
Avi9) 48 = 17. | E. 8+ 7 = Lob. 
BG aHi8 aNilé | BTA Toa As 
Chesil | ChkGesd hoalie 
DD; Gree =a 05: | Heol 
The young were obtained in various stages of development in 
different individuals. The largest foetal specimens taken measure 
232 mm. in length: they were just ripe for extrusion, as the yolk-sac 
was wholly absorbed. 
The point of each dorsal spine is covered by a little knob, a pro- 
vision referred to in my notice of Squalus megalops,* and previously 
recorded by Ball in examples of “ Acanthias vulgaris” on the Irish 
coast.t Richardson’s figuret of a foetus fairly represents our examples, 
but the first spine is too long, and the protective knobs are not illus- 
trated. 
This species was obtained aiong the whole of the coast-line ex- 
plored, and at depths ranging from 9 to 105 fathoms. It was not 
found at the Chatham Islands. 
The New Zealand representative of the family has hitherto been 
identified with the Atlantic S. acanthias Linn. Writing on S. fernan- 
dinus, Mr. C. Tate Regan§ says that “ Records of S. acanthias from 
New Zealand doubtless refer to this species” —a conclusion based on 
an examination of specimens from Tasmania. He distinguishes S. 
fernandinus as follows :— 
“Very closely allied to S. acanthias, but with a shorter snout, 
the preoral length equal to or less than the distance from eye to first 
gill-opening, the praeocular length equal to the distance from anterior 
edge of eye to spiracle (more in S. acanthias, except in young examples). 
Dorsal-fin spines higher, and spots on the body larger, than in S. 
acanthias.” 
* Waite, Rec. Aust. Mus., iv, 1901, p. 34, pl. iv, fig. 2. 
+ Ball, Proc. Roy. Irish Acad., iii, 1847, p. 230. 
t Richardson, Voy. Ereb. and Terr., Fishes, 1845, p. 44, pl. xxviii, fig. 1. 
§ Regan, Ann. Mag. Nat. Hist. (8), i#, 1908, p. 46. 
