T. W. Kir«x.—ddditions to the List of New Zealand Fishes. 809 
side; the first is the shortest, about half the diameter of the eye; the 
following increase in length to the fifth, which is tallest, one-half the length 
of the head ; the last is rather longer than one-half the fifth. The anterior 
rays do not dsl i in length the last spine, the whole soft portion is covered 
with minute scales. "The caudal is sealy at the base only, forked, each lobe 
being 44 inches in the total length. The anal fin begins in a vertical from 
the last dorsal spine, and terminates a little behind the dorsal; the three 
spines are as long as the dorsal ones. * * * ‘The pestóralo are scaly 
at the base, pointed, one-sixth of the total length, and do not reach to 
the vertical from the vent. The ventrals are inserted behind the pectorals, 
and reach to the vent; their spine is not quite one-half the length of the 
head. The teeth of the jaws form a villiform band, with an outer series of 
stronger ones, which are very slightly flattened. There is a small patch 
of teeth on the head of the vomer." 
Dr. Günther speaking of the specimens in the British Museum, says :— 
** The ground-colour is now greyish-yellow, and appears to have been red i in 
life. The back and sides are banded with brown." 
When fresh, the ground-colour of the New Zealand Specimen was bright 
silver, the bands black—not brown, as stated by Dr. Günther; these 
colours have, however, become much lighter since the fish was sli in 
Spirits. 
Another and larger specimen, obtained at Port Jackson, Australia, is 
in the Colonial Museum ; its colours are the same as those of the New 
Zealand specimen, but not quite so bright, probably from its having been 
longer preserved. 
The food of this species appears to be composed almost entirely of 
Diatoms. 
Atherina pinguis, Lacep. 
Lacep. V., p. 372, pl. 11, fig. 1; Günth. IIL, p. 399. 
D. 5-6|4;. A. gets. 
“ The origin of the spinous dorsal fin is at some distance behind the ver- 
tical from the vent, con- 
sequently the dorsal is 
much nearer to the 
anal than to the root 
of the ventral * œ 
The height of the 
body is contained five 
times and two-thirds in the total length, the length of the head four times 
and two-thirds. The diameter of the eye is equal to the width of the inter- 
orbital space. Snout obtuse, short, with the cleft of the mouth oblique, 
