* 
212 T'ransactions.—Zoology. 
Contents of Stomach.— Walls of abdominal cavity black in colour. 
Stomach siphonal, and containing mass of brown granules. Intestine 
full of olive-coloured softer matter. Pyl. esc., 59; but, as these are 
small and delicate, and I used considerable pressure with back of knife 
in removing fatty matters to facilitate counting, I may possibly have 
removed a number without being aware of it. When cooked this pilehard 
was most excellent to eat. In several smoked specimens of this fish as sold 
in the Dunedin market I found, so far as possible to make them out, all 
the marks correspond with those of fresh specimens above described. 
Form of the head and gill-covers, stris, position of ventral fin, fin-rays, all 
agree—the vertebre in two examples numbering 50 each; but outline of 
abdomen was distinctly serrated or marked by raised scales, due probably 
to projection of dermo-hzemal plates after curing. 
A comparison of our New Zealand pilehard or Picton herring with 
Yarrell's account of the English form shows such a close relationship as 
almost amounts to identity of species. It is also very interesting to notico 
how well designed certain parts are to fulfil their special functions, as the 
transparent jelly-like disc or covering for the eye. The eye being well sunk 
in the orbit beneath the plane of the cheek its range of vision would be very 
limited were the orbit not likewise sunk. This being so it is also necessary 
that the surrounding orbital bones should be gradually curved in to the 
depressed eye. This secures range, provision for which over the ante- 
orbital bone is greater than over post-orbital, showing that the fish 
needs to see more ahead than behind. Then covering the eye is the disc 
. I have mentioned, protecting the eye from injury, while it permits free 
vision by its transparency, with direct vision in front of fish by refrac- 
tion, and by its form and bulk giving symmetry and completeness to 
the adjoining parts. From the difference in width of openings or slits 
between the first set of fish examined and the last one, I should expect 
that these fish have the power of opening and closing the slit at 
pleasure. 
I have stated that the scales are tough and non-deciduous, and may add 
that they are so wonderfully overlapped and wedged together as to form an 
outer covering or coat of mail completely surrounding the trunk of the fish. 
This protection is a very obvious part of the design, for the bones of the 
skeleton are extremely fine and seem unequal (unassisted) to carrying the . 
fleshy parts of the body. The abdomen in particular is a most delicate 
part, and was more or less injured in the fresh specimens examined by me, 
a characteristic which I found extending to the viscera also, to the preven- 
tion of my searches in that direction to some extent. And here again the 
perfection of design appears, for along the abdominal outline where the 
