163 Transactions, — Zoology, 
Dimensions, 
Inches 
Total length .. es a eis Lay 
Length without caudal .. va Vm ex 100 
Depth or height.. n x is se 48 
Least depth of tail s m Es i. US 
Head .. ue ed Y y 2:5 
Eye from snout .. i T ed did 
Diameter of eye.. “4 t F oe D 
Dorsal from snout v =e e .. 8:0; length 5:8 
Pectoral ,, ue e 3n 2:6 uc p 
Ventral m Ae es "n ree 5634 
Anal 7:0 
" "S F . » tiu 
References to this species.— Trans. N.Z. Inst., vol. v., p. 260. Cat. Col. 
M.,p.88. A specimen is preserved in spirits in Otago Museum. 
Family Bznvcrpz. 
Trachichthys trailli, Hutton. PI. xiv., fig. 2. 
D. 5/18; P. 18; V. 1/6; A. 8/10; C. 195; Br. 6; Pyl. c. 11; Lat. l. 118. 
A specimen of this rather rare fish was caught in Otago Harbour, 6th 
September, 1884, and handed to me by Mr. A. K. Smith, also a smaller one 
since that date. The only described specimen I can find is one from 
Stewart Island sent to Professor Hutton (Trans. N.Z. Inst., vol. viii., p. 
212), but which is not figured. As this fish Dr. Günther says (“ Study of 
Fishes," p. 420) belongs to a family of deep-sea forms, some of which do not 
occur in shallower water than 200 fathoms, it is of some interest that the two 
individuals given me were taken in the waters of the harbour here, which 
atlow water has an average depth only of about 8 fathoms. The weather 
had been very stormy for some time previously, at the same time the fish 
under description had not passed its spawning period, but had two well- 
advanced lobes (apparently milts), no eggs were visible to the unassisted eye. 
In form body compressed and armed with small adherent ctenoid scales, 
with a patch on the cheeks. Length without caudal 2-2 times the height of 
body, and 3°3 times the length of head. One dorsal fin armed anteriorly 
with fine strong spines; ventrals thoracic with one and anal with three 
spines; caudal forked. Snout blunt and terminating in two short and sharp 
spikes or spines; lower jaw prominent; cleft of mouth very oblique; 
maxillary long and expanded into a club-like flat free end covering the end 
of intermaxillary, which is rather longer than but has similar free end to 
maxillary in form. Mouth protractile. Preoperculum with two vertical 
ridges, the anterior being prolonged towards its inferior margin or lower 
end into a long sharp spine covering the branchiostegals. Another spine 
erosses the opereulum in the direction of a horizontal line from the centre 
of the eye and projects over the humerus; while a third spine lies im- 
mediately above the origin of the lateral line and humerus, and points 
