155 
done before our knowledge of the species and relationship of the Order 
is satisfactory. 
The elephant-fish was taken generally along the whole of the east 
coast of the South Island, but was not obtained to the northward of 
Cook Strait, nor did it occur at the Chatham Islands. In depth it 
ranged from 9 to 102 fathoms. The egg was obtained once only, an 
empty case being trawled at Station 31, in 21-24 fathoms, on a sandy 
bottom. The empty egg-cases are quite familiar objects to visitors 
to New Brighton, a marine suburb of Christchurch, for at certain 
seasons they are cast on to the beach in hundreds. It is extremely 
rare to find an embryo, though occasionally a living egg is thrown 
up among the spent cases. 
The stomachs of the elephant-fishes examined, yielded examples 
of pipefishes, molluscs, and crustaceans. 
EXPLANATION OF PLATES. 
Pram xaile 
Eptatretus cirrhatus Forster. 
Fig. 1. Adult, one-fourth natural size, exhibiting bite-scars on hinder half of 
body. 
Fig. 2. Head, with tongue everted showing lingual teeth; slightly enlarged. 
Fig. 3. Portion of body showing bite-scar ; slightly enlarged. 
PuaTE XIV. 
Fig. 1. Cephaloscyllium laticeps Duméril. Female; one-sixth natural size. 
Fig. 2. Mustelus antarcticus Giinther. Female; three-eighths natural size. 
Prat XV. 
Galeus australis Macleay. Thirty-four young, removed from the body of one 
female; one-fifth natural size. 
Pirate XVI. 
ig. 1. Squalus fernandinus Molina. Male; one-fourth natural size. 
ig. 2. Callorhynchus callorynchus Linneus. Female; one-fifth natural size. 
me 
iQ 0a 
PLATE XVII. 
Nareacion fairchildi Hutton. Male; about one-fourth natural size. ‘ 
