364 MR. C. TATE REGAN ON THE FISHES [ Nov. 28, 
So long as they were supposed to be a fresh-water group, the 
geographical distribution of the Galaxiidee was considered to be of 
considerable interest, occurring as they do in the Southern half of 
Australia, Tasmania, New Zealand and the neighbouring islands, 
Chile, Patagonia and the Falkland Islands, and at the Cape of 
Good Hope. 
The occurrence of Galaxias maculatus in the sea has been 
recorded by Valenciennes and by Philippi, off the Falklands and off 
the coast of Chile respectively. The observations of Johnston in 
Tasmania and of Hutton and Clarke in New Zealand are to the 
effect that Galaxias attenuatus descends to the sea periodically to 
spawn. Mr. Rupert Vallentin has seen shoals of little fishes, 
which I identify with the Galaxias gracillimus of Canestrini, in 
the sea at the Falkland Islands. Recently Galaxias brevipinnis 
has also been found to be marine, G. 6ollansi, described by 
Hutton from the Auckland Islands, proving to be identical with 
this species. 
The Galaxiide present many analogies to the Salmonide of the 
Northern Hemisphere, both being circumpolar groups of marine 
origin which are establishing themselves in fresh-water. In both 
families we meet with non-migratory forms which appear to have 
finally left the sea and with others which return to the sea 
periodically; but whilst the migratory Salmonide are anadromous, 
the migratory Galaxiidee, on the contrary, are catadromous. 
The enormous range of variation in the fresh-water Salmonide 
renders the delimitation of species a matter of great difficulty, 
and so it is with the Galaxiide, with the similar result that a 
large number of nominal or insufficiently defined species have 
been described. 
Tn some species numerous small blackish spots on the body and 
fins, due to the presence of parasitic organisms, are almost always 
present, and have been mistaken for colour-markings characteristic 
of the species (e.g. G. lynx and G. olidus). 
The burrowing-habits of a species of Galaxias have been recorded 
by T. S. Hall (Vict. Nat. xviii. 1900, p. 65), who states that, 
according to the observations of Mr. Russell Ritchie of Launceston, 
in Tasmania Galaxias have been dug up in moist peaty soil, and 
swim when placed in water. As many as twelve at a time have 
been dug up in one place and lived in water in a pickle-jar for 
various periods up to three days. The loss of the ventral fins and 
the small eyes of the New Zealand Neochanna apoda, which 
burrows in damp clay, show its special adaptation to similar habits. 
The material on which the present revision is based consists of 
the specimens in the British Museum, including all the types 
described by Richardson and by Giinther, as well as a series of 
specimens from Tasmania, sent by Mr. R. W. Johnston in 1880, 
representing the species described by him, and typical examples of 
G. nigothoruk Lucas and G. bollanst Hutton. A large series of 
specimens has been received from the Australian Museum, in- 
cluding the types of G. occidentalis, G. waterhousei, and G. kayi. 
