164 Transactions. — Zoology. 
Harbour, The figure of Cyttus australis, No. 98, ** Cat. N.Z. Fishes,” 1872, 
is very nearly a counterpart of my specimen. The differences are that my 
fish has a smaller head, larger pectoral fin, one short spine at origin of 
dorsal fin, a series of rough small scales on a dark line along base of dorsal 
fin, and continued to the interorbital space, and along anal fin base, and 
continued to the isthmus. The scales also on the trunk are cycloid, while 
those of C. australis are described as being ctenoid. As the characters of this 
fish partake of those of Zeus and Cyttus I am in doubt to which genus it 
belongs, and propose provisionally to name it Zeus nove-zealandia. 
In form body very deep and compressed, eyes large and lateral ; head 
contained 9:5 times and depth 1:6 times in length; greatest depth in 
vertical from fourth dorsal ray. Mouth very protractile, can be protruded 
nearly three inches, cleft nearly vertical; seven branchiostegals ; isthmus 
deeply notched ; keel fluted, especially from ventral to anal, where it forms 
a deep pocket in which the ventrals lie hidden when at rest; one short dorsal 
spine, one long ventral spine, and two short anal spines; rays of first dorsal 
and of pectorals were much broken, probably in the trawl ; caudal fin, straight 
margin. Lateral line is gracefully curved and recurved. The coracoid bone 
is very large and strong. Teeth small and villiform, present on mandible, 
maxillary, and on vomer. Scales cycloidal, small, smooth and adherent: a 
series of small rough scales along dark line at base of dorsal and prolonged 
to interorbital space, also along base of anal fin and along keel to isthmus, 
but scarcely formidable enough to be called bucklers or bony plates, cheeks 
covered with small smooth scales. In colour a very silvery fish over the . 
whole body and head; eye, black pupil, iris silvery white and brilliant ; fins, 
first dorsal black, second dorsal, pectoral, and anal pink, ventral white with 
black tips, caudal crimson with white posterior margin tipped with black. 
The stomach contained white mucus; ovaries large and yery full of ova the 
size of large pin points, ovarian duct terminating at vent; air-bladder close 
to vertebra, large, simple, cylindrical, and of a silvery colour: pyloric ceca 
numerous and small, also covered with much fat, number 82. The condi- 
tion of the ovaries was almost gravid. 
Dimensions. 
Inches 
Total length ae AE en : T8 
Length s S. a as a Wy | 
Head .. Im E A T vs hae 
Depth or height ba ki M sen 4 
Least depth of tail 5 0:45 
Eye diameter .. x 0:70 
Eye from snout ah B "n . 1:30 
Dorsal from snout à x ks .. 8:40; length 3:40 
Pec Hi a xs ka EE i ». o 
Ventral ” ” oe E We oe 3:00 » 0:80 
Anal 
" n .. . os os 4:00 ” 3:00 
