Hutton.—On the Geographical Relations of the N.Z. Fauna. 241 
are also four others that are common to both Australia and South America, 
five common to Australia and South Africa, two common to Australia and 
the Pacific Islands, and one common to Australia and the Auckland Islands. 
Thus the total number of our sea fishes found in Australia is fifty, in South 
America and the Cape of Good Hope nine each, three (Prosopodasys cottoides, 
Trygon kuhlii, and Ostracion fornasini) are not found nearer than the Indian 
Archipelago (the identification, however, of the latter is doubtful), and one 
(Halargyreus johnsoni) has been obtained at Madeira only. The remaining 
thirteen are widely ranging species. These 134 species have been distributed 
among 114 different genera, eleven of which are not found elsewhere. The 
connection with Australia is here, as might be expected, so well marked that 
I need not dwell upon it, but will proceed to examine the affinities of New 
Zealand to other countries. Our former connection with South America is 
indicated by Mendosoma lineata, Notothenia cornucola, Merluccias gayi, and 
Genypterus blacodes; with South Africa by Trigla kumu, Gonorhynchus greyi, 
and Bdellostoma cirrhatum, while the occurrence of Gonorhynchus greyi and 
Congromurena habentata at St. Paul’s shows that that little volcanic island 
was also probably connected. The occurrence in New Zealand of species 
belonging to the southern genera Pseudorhombus, Bovichthys, Agriopus, 
Chilodactylus and Scorpis points to the extension of a former antarctic 
continent, of which these islands formed a part, while Acanthurus triostegus, 
Dascyllus aruanus, Chanos salmoneus, Peltorhamphus nove-zealandie, a species 
of stingaree allied to Zrygon thalassia, and species of the genera Labricthys 
and Trachelochismus, show an affinity for the islands of the Pacific. 
T have already remarked that three of our fishes are not found nearer than 
the Indian Archipelago, and it is probable that our species of Torpedo and 
Doryichthys came from that direction also. But a still more curious affinity 
to Japan is shown by the presence of the genera Lotella and Ditrema, and 
another little fish (Calloptilum punctatum) which is found at the mouth of the 
river Thames, and which has its nearest allies in the genus Bregmaceros from 
China and the Philippine Islands. Gonorhynchus greyi and Clupea sagax are 
also both found in Japan, but they occur in Australia as well. Our species of 
Ditrema differs from D. leve of Japan in having teeth on its palate, and a 
band of teeth in each jaw instead of a single row. Platystethus cultratum, 
from Norfolk Island, is also closely allied. This connection with China and 
Japan is, I consider, the chief point of interest in the distribution of our 
marine fish. 
In the genus Trypterygiwm, which is found only in the Mediterranean, we 
have an anomaly which is parallel to the cases of Puligula and Mergus among 
the birds, and as we proceed we shall find many other similar cases 
cropping up. 
F 1 
