208 Transactions,— Zoology. 
they at these times, that a man standing on the rocks could lift them out 
of the shoal with a shovel. There are many other interesting facts which 
I have not mentioned here, but as you may already be wearied I will con- 
clude, hoping you may be able, from these rough notes, to glean such 
information as you require." 
My enquiries, before writing above paper, being confined to the fish- 
mongers in Dunedin—is the explanation of the difference as to the appear- 
ance of this fish on the coast between my opening remarks and the notes 
just added. But the times known only to the fishmongers, are no doubt 
those when these fish come or are driven very close inshore. As the great 
body keep seemingly well out from the beach, and as an article of food this 
herring is very good, it ought to be searched for and netted by the fishing- 
boats of our new Deep Sea Fishing Company. 
Arr. XXIIT.— Notes. on the Picton Herring, Clupea pilchardus (C. sagax, 
New Zealand form), By W. Arruur, C.E 
[Read before the Otago Institute, 30th January, 1883.) 
Plate XXXIV., fig. 2. 
Tms very interesting and excellent herring, although mentioned in the 
Catalogue of New Zealand Fishes, has not, so far as I can find, been 
figured and described from actual specimens.* With the object therefore of 
supplying this information I obtained recently (September, 1882) from 
Mr. A. G. Fell, of Picton, five fish newly caught at Picton, and known 
there as ** Picton Herring.” Four of these I have examined so far as I am 
capable of so doing, and with the following results. 
Specimen No. 1, plate XXXIV., figure 2, has a gently-curved dorsal 
outline, abdominal more deeply curved from the head backwards towards | 
the ventral fin. Tolerably thick across the back, and not compressed 
laterally like the New Zealand sprat. Head one-fifth of total length of 
fish, triangular in outline laterally and transversely, the ridge of the skull 
flat, broad, and straight. Maxillary broad, curved, flat, and well roum d 
* According to Dr. Günther, New Zealand specimens are in the British Me 
Clupea sagaz, Jenyns, was also identified from Otago specimens, and a figure of it repro- 
duced in the Cat. N.Z. Fishes, p. 119, pl.c. The same species was subsequently identified | 
a5 the true Picton herring of commerce, of which the first-received specimens were the aua 
or herring-mullet (l.c. p. 114). C. sagax is the common pilchard of the Pacific, and is 
abundant on the Australian coasts under the name of maray. An interesting account of 
its migrations is given by the Hon. W. McLeay, F.L.S.,in the report of the Fisheries 
Commission of New South Wales,—E». 
