o 
AmrHUR.—Ón the New Zealand Sprat. 208 
from a most unlooked-for quarter—that is in the disease itself. For you 
may remember that I have mentioned the circumstance of finding the 
remains of only two trout on the beach, and, from anything I could learn, 
these trout, frequenting the same localities, have not as yet died in large 
numbers at a time. It is possible, therefore, that this fungoid disease, 
loathsome in appearance and widespread as it certainly is among the 
shoals, may either die out, or so inoculate the healthy fish, as in process 
of time to render them proof against severe attacks. A correspondent of 
* Land and Water," in the number of that journal for March 25th, 1882, 
records his having seen trout in the river Kent which had been affected by 
fungus and had recovered without any artificial treatment. Nature, then, 
may yet work out a recovery among the Wakatipu trout in her own time 
and way; but that must be assisted by our providing facilities for natural 
spawning in the Town Creek. 
Art. XXII.— Notes on the New Zealand Sprat. By W. Artuur, C.E. 
| Read before the Otago Institute, 15th August, 1882.] 
Plate XXXIV., fig. 1 
‘Tus fish has been described by Dr. Hector in the appendix to his Catalogue 
of New Zealand Fishes, and was subsequently figured (Trans. N.Z. Inst., 
vol. v., pl. xii.) ; but, as it appears on our coasts at considerable intervals 
of time only, I deem it may be useful for reference to record its recent 
reappearance accompanied by a drawing of the form found in our waters, 
and a description sufficient to establish its identity. 
The specimen which I have figured, and will call No. 1, is a male sprat, 
taken in the sea at Oamaru in May, 1882, out of a large shoal which came 
in to the coast at that date. The body is compressed laterally, dorsal out- 
line slightly arched, abdominal deeply curved ; head one-fifth total length ; 
maxillary curved, with posterior extremity rounded accurately, posterior 
half of bone free, disconnected from head and quite transparent in colour, 
does not project beyond vertical from anterior margin of orbit; mouth 
small and round, lower jaw very prominent and projecting beyond inter- 
maxillary one-tenth of an inch when mouth open as in figure. Operculum 
nearly vertical in outline but sinuous, preoperculum with a distinct lower 
limb, no strie. One dorsal fin, caudal forked, belly-fins very fine, origin of 
dorsal and ventral fins in same vertical line. Lateral line barely visible, 
abdominal serrature not very prominent, but fourteen bars mark the space 
very distinctly between pectoral and ventral fins, apparently the external 
impression of the hæmal spines. Scales cycloidal, large, and deciduous. 
