294 Transactions. — Zoology. 



indistinct, appearing like greyish clouds seen through the silvery coating. 

 As the latter wore off, they appeared black and well- defined, the silvery 

 coating at the same time assuming a tarnished appearance. 



The four longitudinal raised bands were well marked, and above the 

 uppermost of them was a fifth less conspicuous band, becoming very indis- 

 tinct in front. A transverse section of the body (pi. xxiii., fig. 3) shows that 

 each of the five bands (>•) corresponds in position to the line of attachment 

 of one of the strong intermuscular septa, of which there are altogether six, 

 the ventralmost corresponding in position to the lateral line (l.l.). If I 

 understand Haast rightly, the lines of attachment of the intermuscular 

 septa corresponded, in R. pacificits, to the depressed bands. 



The tubercles with which the skin is studded are hard to the touch, and 

 I at first thought they were bony. As a matter of fact, hoAvever, they are 

 composed of strong fibrous tissue, and consist, as shown by thin vertical 

 sections, of pyramidal elevations of the dermis. 



The internal organs agree in every respect with Hancock and Embleton's 

 description. The specimen was an adult female, but the ovaries contained 

 no fully-formed eggs, the time of capture being evidently not near the 

 breeding season. The muscles were white and firm when fresh ; by no 

 means "little coherent," as stated by Giintber. The vertebras were roughly 

 estimated by Hancock and Embleton at 110, in the present specimen they 

 amount to 93. 



From the above description it will be seen that the Moeraki specimen of 

 Regalecus differs 



(a.) From R. gladius (?), R. telum (?), jR. glesne(7), and R. russellii in 



the absence of a caudal fin, 

 (b.) From R. glesne(?), R. gladius, and R. telum in the absence of teeth, 

 (c) From R. pacijicus in the great length of the anterior dorsal fin 

 rays, in the absence of spines thereon, in the shape of the head, 

 and in the fibrous nature of the dermal tubercles, 

 (d.) From R. banksii in the shape of the operculum and in the non- 

 ossification of the dermal tubercles, 

 (e.) From all species in the number of fin rays and in the proportion 

 between height and length. 

 It is theisefore impossible to assign it to any of the hitherto recorded 

 species, and I propose to make it the type of a new species to be caUed 

 R. argenteus. It must be borne in mind, however, that the analogy of 

 Trachypterus lends strong support to Lutken's opinion that the proportions 

 of the head and body, the number of fin-rays, and the characters of the tail 

 differ greatly at different ages ; this being the case the present species, like 

 many of those previously established, must be looked upon as more or less 

 provisional. 



