236 Dr. A. Giinther on the Hapuku of New Zealand. 



The structure of each retinula is therefore clearly very 

 similar to that of the retinula of many mollusks as described 

 by Patten, and, which is more important for purposes of com- 

 parison, to Nereis among Annelids if Patten's interpretation * 

 of Carri^re's figures be allowed. The two central clear cells 

 are Patten's ' retinophorffi.' It will be observed, however, 

 that apart from these two problematical hyaline cells the 

 minute structure of the eyes of the SerolidfB and Cymotho- 

 idge bear out Grenacher's conclusions rather than Patten's 

 with regard to the morphology of the Crustacean eye. There 

 can be no doubt that the crystalline cone is independent of 

 the rhabdom and formed by different cells. 



The specialization of the retinula-cells is, however, a new 

 feature, and distinguishes the eye of these Isopods. 



XXVI. — Note on the Hapuku of New Zealand (Polyprion 

 prognathus). By Dr. A. Gijnthee, F.K.S. 



The Hapuku of New Zealand, one of the most highly 

 esteemed food-fishes of the southern hemisphere, and attaining 

 to a weight of 100 pounds, has been known to naturalists 

 since Cook's visits to that country, as has been shown by 

 Mr. Hutton (Trans. N.-Z. Instit. v. p. 259). It was figured 

 by Forster as well as by Parkinson, the former naming it Pe7'ca 

 prognatlms, a very appropriate term, to which I give prefer- 

 ence before all others, although Schneider (Bl. Schn. p. 301) 

 arbitrarily changed it into the less expressive Epinephelus 

 oxygeneios. Forster's original description is published in 

 '■ Descript. animal, ed. Lichtenstein,' p. 309, and referred to 

 by Cuvier (Cuv. & Val. Hist. Nat. Poiss. iii. p. 29), who, 

 with his perfect knowledge of fishes, recognized its relation to 

 Polyprion, not doubting that it was the same species as the 

 Atlantic P. cernium. 



The figure left by Parkinson bears tlie name Scicena 

 qadoideSy probably in Broussonnet's handwriting ; but this 

 name seems to have remained always a MS. name. 



The second period of the history of this fish begins with 

 Owen, who, in the ' Osteological Catalogue of the College of 

 Surgeons,' i. p. 51, described the skeleton of a New-Zealand 

 Percoid under the name of Gentropristis gigas. In the 

 ' Catalogue of Fishes,' i. p. 251, I stated the reasons which 



* Mitth. Zool. Stat. Neapel, 1886. 



