145 
as 13 is to 8.” In TZ. fairchildi it is “‘ about one and a half times the 
size of the second,” or as 12 is to 8. The descriptions may be regarded 
as identical in this respect. 
As before indicated, too much reliance cannot be placed on the 
form of the disc, though the respective figures show great differences 
in this respect. My specimens are intermediate. The anterior emargi- 
nations in the disc referred to by Parker may be traced in my examples, 
also those figured by Hutton; but in neither case are they so pro- 
nounced as illustrated. 
One example was trawled off Otago Heads in deep water (55-102 
fathoms). The species was rather freely taken northward of Banks 
Peninsula, at a minimum depth of 18 fathoms ; again in Cook Strait, 
in Poverty Bay, and finally in the Bay of Plenty. The “ Doto” 
obtained “* Torpedo fairchildi”” in the Hauraki Gulf. 
In my lst of the Fishes of New Zealand* I used Narcacion Wal- 
baum, 1792, as the name of the genus. In acknowledging a copy of 
the paper Mr. C. Tate Regan wrote, “ If you reject Narcacion (as I 
intend doing), Torpedo 1s the correct name, as Gill’s application of that 
name to Malapterurus is based on a misreading.” In respect to this 
subject Dr. Jordan wrote, “‘ As to Gill’s use of Torpedo, Gill does not 
often make mistakes in matters of this kind. The only point against 
it, if I read Forskal’s Latin aright, is that he uses only the oblique 
case, ‘ Torpedine,’ instead of ‘ Torpedo.’ ” 
Gull’s papers on the subject are as follows: Proc. U.S. Nat. Mus., 
xvii, 1896, p. 162; and xxvi, 1903, p. 697. In the former paper 
the following passage occurs: “If the propriety of the retention of 
the name Torpedo in place of Malapterurus is conceded [and this is, 
of course, the crux of the discussion], it necessarily follows that an- 
other name must be used for the genus of electric rays. Narcacion 
is the oldest term, having been given by Klein in 1842 
but, having been given before the establishment of the binomial system 
of nomenclature, is now considered ineligible. The next in order of 
proposition is Narcobatus, introduced by De Blainville in 1816, and 
this should accordingly be adopted.” 
The use of Klein’s names by Walbaum, in 1792, has not generally 
been recognised ; Narcacion for the electric rays is one of these, and, 
as it antedates Blainville’s Narcobatus, I consider that it should, apart 
from discussion of Malapterurus, be used to designate the genus. The 
question of Walbaum’s names is one which might well be considered 
by the international Zoological Congress} and an authoritative de- 
cision would be not only approved, but welcomed by all concerned. 
The following quotation from an article by Dr. Jordan7j is, though 
non-committal, suggestive :— 
“ Klemm (about 1744) defined a large number of genera of fishes. 
In a post-Linnean compilation of Walbaum (° Artedi Piscium,’ 1792). 
* Waite, antea, p. 8. + Jordan, Science, xxii, 1905, p. 491. 
