Haast.—Notes on Regalecus pacificus. 249 
off one inch from its base, and there is only a fragment of the ninth, which 
is not thicker than one of the rays of the dorsal fin proper. All of these 
spines which have minute hooks directed upwards on their anterior and 
posterior edges are united with each other by a small membrane about -45 
inch high. They had, like the two ventral rays, a red colour, very bright 
in their upper portion when the fish was first obtained, which, however, 
gradually faded to a dull light pink. 
A quarter of an inch behind the last spine the dorsal fin proper begins, 
consisting of a great number of slender rays, which do not project beyond 
the margin of the thin membrane by which they are united. These rays 
stand at a distance of three-quarters of an inch from each other. At the 
beginning they are about one inch high, gradually increasing in length, till 
about one foot from the beginning of this dorsal fin they stand 2:5 inches 
high, continuing so to within 8 feet from the end of the tail ; they after this 
gradually get smaller, till 5:5 inches from the end of the tail, they cease 
altogether. Here at the termination the last four rays stand not only above 
the membrane, but they are also thicker than all the preceding ones. The 
pectoral fin is one inch broad at the base; 2-5 inches high along the first 
ray. It also had a reddish hue, but not so bright as-the crest and the 
ventral rays. 
In a straight line below the hind edge of the pectoral fin stands a single 
strong ventral ray on both sides, of which, however, only 8 inches are 
preserved, the rest being broken off. 
I was informed by the finder that it had been at least 15 inches long, 
but he did not observe any enlargement at the termination. I believe that, 
when the fish was first seen, the anterior portion of this remarkable 
ventral ray with the lobe had been already broken off during the efforts the 
fish made to regain the sea. 
Tail without any caudal fin, being formed by a number of spines, getting 
gradually thinner and tending to a point. 
Anal vent 4 feet 1 inch behind the ventral spines. 
The lateral line is formed by a number of elongated smooth scales, which 
lie in a groove. It starts from the posterior end of the supraorbital, 
gradually descending, so that at the anus it is situated only 8:5 inches 
above it. Four longitudinal ridges which are eut off obliquely by the lateral 
line extend along the whole length of the body, they are covered with small 
round tubercles and are about three-quarters of an inch broad, the space 
between them having nearly the same breadth. This space is also covered 
with tubercles, which, however, are very minute. Below the latter the 
intermuseular septa are situated. The skin below the lateral line is almost 
smooth for about an inch, after which the tubercles appear again, getting 
Fl 
