Marr.—On Fishes in Upper Whanganui River. E 815 
group of tree-lizards, whose colours and markings, for protective purposes, 
bear a strong resemblance to their natural surroundings. The bright green 
tints of one species enables it almost to defy detection amidst the evergreen 
foliage of the native shrubs; the marbled-brown skin of another is peculiarly 
adapted for concealment as it clings to the bark of a tree, or hides in the 
crevices ; whilst a third, which inhabits the sulphur-crusted grounds in the 
Lake District, is of a uniform bright sulphur-yellow. 
The species described by the author of this paper is beautifully marked 
on its upper surface with patches of pale brown and minute granulations of 
yellow, exactly resembling in appearance a peculiar Lichen common on the 
bark of certain trees. Apart from good specific characters, it furnishes 
another remarkable instance of the law of assimilative colouring referred to. 
Art. XLVI.— Notes on Fishes in Upper Whanganui River. 
By Captain Mar, F.L.S. 
LRead before the Wellington Philosophical Society 10th January, 1880.] 
Durme the summer and autumn rains, large quantities of fish are caught 
by the Natives in weirs or single lines of stakes driven into the bed of the 
river at the heads of the rapids, and placed at an angle of about 10 degrees 
across the current. These lines of stakes are 50 feet or 60 feet long, and 
15 yards or 20 yards apart, according to the width of the river. Hinakis or 
wicker baskets are placed at the bottom of each row of stakes, and the fish, 
which appear always to swim down the middle of the river, upon meeting 
these lines of stakes placed at a slight angle to the stream, follow them 
down into the funnel-mouthed hinakis aforesaid, and are thus caught. As 
soon as the pot is full, it is replaced by an empty one. In this manner, I 
saw about 7 cwt. obtained from two hinakis, at Whenuatere, on February 
25th, 1879. The fish so obtained are :—Papanoko, Toitoi, Inanga, Atutahi, 
Upokororo, and a peculiar kind of eel called Tunaheke. 
Papanoko are small fish, from six to eight inches in length, and very 
deep in proportion, as the accompanying rough sketch will show, and 
weigh about the eighth of a pound. At this season of the year they are very 
fat, full of spawn, and are most delicious eating. The fins are red ; scales 
very small; back, pepper-and-salt colour; belly, silvery. This fish is called 
Te ika huna a Tanemahuta—the hidden fish of Tane—the god of the forests ; 
' for they are never found in the streams or rivers, unless during a flood, and 
then only during the night. Great ceremony is observed in cooking them, 
and they are taken some distance from the village for the purpose. The 
natives aver that if this were not done, no more fish would enter the 
hinakis, — 
