1(52 Transactions, — Zoology, 



Dimensions. 



Inches, 



Total length .. .. .. .. •• H'7 



Length without caudal . . . . . . . . 10-0 



Depth or height . . .. .. .. . . 2*8 



Least depth of tail . . . . . . . . 0-8 



Head 2-5 



Eye from snout . . . . . . . . . . 1 - 1 



Diameter of eye . . .. .. •• •• 0-4 



Dorsal from snout . . . . . . . . 3-0 ; length 5-8 



Pectoral „ .. .. .. . . 26 „ 1-7 



Ventral „ .. .. .. . . 4-0 „ 1-4 



Anal „ 7-0 „ 1-6 



References to this species. — Trans. N.Z. Inst., vol. v., p. 260. Cat. Col. 

 M., p. 83. A specimen is preserved in spirits in Otago Museum. 



Family Berycidje. 

 Trachichthys trailli, Hutton. PI. xiv., fig. 2. 

 D. 5/13; P. 13; V. 1/6; A. 3/10; C. 19f; Br. 6; Pyl. c. 11; Lat. 1. 118. 

 A specimen of this rather rare fish was caught in Otago Harbour, 6th 

 September, 1884, and handed to me by Mr. A. K. Smith, also a smaller one 

 since that date. The only described specimen I can find is one from 

 Stewart Island sent to Professor Hutton (Trans. N.Z. Inst., vol. viii., p. 

 212), but which is not figured. As this fish Dr. Giinther says (" Study of 

 Fishes,'" p. 420) belongs to a family of deep-sea forms, some of which do not 

 occur in shallower water than 200 fathoms, it is of some interest that the two 

 individuals given me were taken in the waters of the harbour here, which 

 at low water has an average depth only of about 3 fathoms. The weather 

 had been very stormy for some time previously, at the same time the fish 

 under description had not passed its spawning period, but had two well- 

 advanced lobes (apparently milts), no eggs were visible to the unassisted eye. 

 Inform body compressed and armed with small adherent ctenoid scales, 

 with a patch on the cheeks. Length without caudal 2-2 times the height of 

 body, and 3*3 times the length of head. One dorsal fin armed anteriorly 

 with fine strong spines ; ventrals thoracic with one and anal with three 

 spines ; caudal forked. Snout blunt and terminating in two short and sharp 

 spikes or spines ; lower jaw prominent ; cleft of mouth very oblique ; 

 maxillary long and expanded into a club-like flat free end covering the end 

 of intermaxillary, which is rather longer than but has similar free end to 

 maxillary in form. Mouth protractile. Preoperculum with two vertical 

 ridges, the anterior being prolonged towards its inferior margin or lower 

 end into a long sharp spine covering the branchiostegals. Another spine 

 crosses the operculum in the direction of a horizontal line from the centre 

 of the eye and projects over the humerus ; while a third spine lies im- 

 mediately above the origin of the lateral line and humerus, and points 



