280 Transactions. — Zoology. 



to all accounts accessible to me it has always been observed after its emi- 

 gration to its winter quarters in the more southern regions to be clothed in 

 its more sober white and ash-coloured winter dress, instead of the rich 

 rufous and black tints our specimen possesses so conspicuously. 



Might this not suggest to us that when the usual breeding time of the 

 straggling flock came round, although in the middle of our winter, the 

 season did not prevent the change of colour, together with the pairing in the 

 flock ! 



At first sight the idea might not appear unreasonable that this bird 

 occurs also in the antarctic zone, hybernating in the more temperate regions 

 of the southern hemisphere, but, in that case, the specimen under review 

 would not have been found in full breeding or summer dress. 



Having drawn the attention of ornithologists to this interesting stranger, 

 I have no doubt that, as was the case with Strepsilas interpres (the Turnstone), 

 more light will be thrown upon its occurrence in this part of the world now 

 that this has been proved beyond a doubt. 



Aet. XVIII. — On the Occurrence of the Spinous Shark (Echinorhinus 



spinosus) in New Zealand Waters. By T. Jeffery Parker, B.Sc 

 [Bead before the Otago Institute, 10th July, 1883.] 

 This species is stated by Giinther* to be confined to the Mediterranean and 

 Atlantic, extending from the coast of England to the Cape of Good Hope. 

 I believe the present specimen to be the first which has been recorded 

 beyond the usual range. It was caught off Dunedin by fishermen in the 

 employment of the Deep Sea Fishing Company during the present month 

 (July). 



The fish, which was quite new to the captors, was cut up for bait, only 

 the mutilated remains being brought to Dunedin. Fortunately the teeth 

 were preserved, and the tail was hardly at all injured, so that there was no 

 difficulty in identifying the species. 



Echinorhinus belongs to the family Spinacidm. I extract the following 

 generic and specific characters from the " Catalogue of Fishes " : — 

 " Genus Echinorhinus. 



" Two very small dorsal fins, without spine, the first opposite to the 

 ventrals ; no anal fin. Skin with scattered large round tubercles. Mouth 

 crescent-shaped, a labial fold round the angle of the mouth. Nostrils mid- 

 way between the mouth and the end of the snout. Teeth equal in both 



* " Catalogue of Fishes," vol. viii., p. 428. 



