ÁnTHUR.—On New Zealand Fishes. 167 
both jaws and pharyngeals, but absent on palatines and vomer. Lower 
phryngeals separate. Premaxillary slightly protractile. Eye lateral, not 
large. Pectoral continuous with branchiostegals which coalesce in their 
coverings with the isthmus, and which thus is not externally visible. No 
apparent lateral line. Fins have soft branched rays, the dorsal being long 
and continuous though divisible into two, caudal fan-shaped. Ventrals 
thoracic and secreted in a pocket of the skin, one simple spine in each. 
Vertebre and apophyses bony. Colour, dark-brown on head and trunk, 
somewhat lighter on belly, with black more or less distinct bands round 
margin of the fins, which are white-tipped. The band is plainest on the 
` caudal fin. A row of oval salmon-coloured spots round margin of posterior 
dorsal and pectoral fins, and numerous round, oval and crescent-shaped 
spots of same colour scattered all over head, trunk, and fins, giving this 
fish a leopard-like appearance. Those on top of head are lighter, and have 
scattered through them many small black pigment spots. Stomach.—This 
organ was large and balloon-shaped, and contained two crabs an inch and a 
half across the tips of the claws each, also three shrimps and a stringy-like 
mass which I could not recognize. There was no visible outlet that I could 
find from the stomach to the vent, and the mouth was full of excreta. No 
air-bladder present. 
It is probable that this species is capable of rising through the water 
by the inflation of the loose covering which its body possesses, and so feeds 
on the surface, as at other times it manifestly does on the bottom. 
DIMENSIONS. 
Inches. 
Totallength .. YE 
Length ER vs v. ^ cs OO 
Least depth of tail E. i AP is e ODS 
Head T pa A i Ve 2:8 
Eye diameter .. oe ka ix sis i Ud 
Eye from snout "^ "m oe oe x; 08 
Dorsal from snout Am oe Am xx o Wi 
Pectoral (superior origin) ces s. Fi » -4 
Ventrals »" we os ae oe ii 
Anal » oe ee MP e 45 
Several more individuals of this species were taken by above cutter off 
the Heads about the same date as above-described one. One of these nine 
inches long came into my possession, and an examination of it was made 
from which I am enabled to add these remarks :— 
D. 9/15; P. 22; V. 1; A.10; C. 10; Br. 4; Pyl. ceca 4 (?). 
Owing to the apparently very perishable nature of the viscera (in 
part) I only made out as I think a short delicate intestine, but could 
not discover any opening into stomach or outwards towards the vent 
