PEOCEEDINGS, JUNE. XXxi 



«ton was cot present, as he believed that gentleman would give an 

 opinion, but probably Mr. Morton would have something to say on the 

 subject. 



Mr. A. Morton stated that, owing to a previous engagement, Mr. 

 ■Johnston was unable to be present, but that he (Mr. Morton) might say 

 that the drawing of the fish submitted to the meeting by Mr. Kent was 

 not identical with the one referred to in Mr. Johnston's catalogue as 

 ■Cossyphus Gouldii, although G. Gouldii was enumerated in Mr. John- 

 ston's catalogue. Mr. Johnston had stated that he had not seen a 

 specimen himself, but that the late Mr. Morton AUport had recorded it 

 as having been found in Tasmauian waters. With regard to the other 

 drawing, Chilodactylus vittatiis, Mr. Morton said that Mr. Johnston 

 had informed him to-day that a fish answering the description of G. 

 vittatus had been reported to him (Mr, Johnston) as having bsen 

 captured in our waters. 



Mr. Saville-Kent also presented a specimen of the Leix)odus caudatus, 

 or frost fish, which he had secured after it had been found floating 

 •about in the Fisherman's Dock. He had frequently seen it caught in 

 the North Atlantic, especially off the coast of Spain where it was caught 

 like the fishermen caught barracoota. It had a beautiful silver flash as 

 it was thrown up through the air. It took a bait similar to the barra- 

 coota, to which species it was allied, as would be seen by looking at its 

 canine teeth. 



Mr. A. MoETON said it was a strange coincidence that a fish of the 

 same species was found floating in the water at the same time last year 

 by Mr. Whitehouse, and as far as he had been able to discover it had 

 never been found in a living state in New Zealand, but was there found 

 washed up after a severe frost on the beaches, particularly between 

 Wanganui and Wellington, It grew to 5ft. or 6ft. in length, and was 

 liighly prized for food, realising from 2s. 6d. to 3s. per lb, 



Mr, Morton read the following account of two rare fish by Mr. E,. 

 M. Johnston : — Histiophorus Herschelli (Gray). — A fine specimen 

 13ft. Gin. total length, was recently discovered by ms stranded and half 

 buried in the sand bank communicating with a large lagoon, immediately 

 to the north of Cape Fredrick Henrick on Forestier Peninsula. It 

 answers in all characteristic points to the above species so far as could be 

 observed. Unfortunately it was much decomposed internally, and the 

 ventral and anterior portions of anal fin were destroyed. The anterior 

 part of spinous dorsal was elevated into a ci'est composed of about 11 

 spines, curving between the occiput and a line passing through posterior 

 of prceoperculum ; somewhat truncated at its point of junction with the 

 rest of dorsal spines, which were uniformly only about 2in. high to 

 junction with soft rays near peduncle, which are slightly higher than 

 the posterior portion of spinous dorsal rays. The longest rays of first 

 dorsal were about 12in. to 14in, The soft anal is developed similarly to 

 the soft dorsal, each composed of seven rays. The characters and 

 dimensions as observed were : — Length of head to extremity of upper 

 jaw, 4ft.; broad expanse of tail forks, 4ft. 4in. ; to greatest depth 

 about 2ft.; D. 11-31/7, A,-/7, V,P, 14 falcate. Dermal productions, 

 bifurcate or lozenge shaped ; skin thick, hard, and bony. As Dr, Gunther 

 states that specimens of this genus are few and imperfect in museums, 

 and as it is desirable to make further observations on large individuals, 

 it is of the greatest importance that this noble specimen should be 

 secured for our Museum, The specimen was too large for me to carry 

 to town, as I was at the time travelling on foot, but I have urged Mr. 

 Frank Rush, to whom I have explained its nature and position, to bring 

 it to town as perfectly as possible on his next trip to that locality. 

 It would be desirable for the Museum authorities to assist in defraying 

 the expense of its removal to Hobart. It would prove a most interesting 



