164 



Transactions, — Zoology. 



Harbour. The figure of Cyttus australis, No. 28, " Cat. N.Z. Fishes," 1872, 

 is very nearly a counterpart of my specimen. The differences are that my 

 fish has a smaller head, larger pectoral fin, one short spine at origin of 

 dorsal fin, a series of rough small scales on a dark line along base of dorsal 

 fin, and continued to the interorbital space, and along aual fin base, and 

 continued to the isthmus. The scales also on the trunk are cycloid, while 

 those of C. australis are described as being ctenoid. As the characters of this 

 fish partake of those of Zeus and Cyttus I am in doubt to which genus it 

 belongs, and propose provisionally to name it Zeus nova-zealandw . 



In form body very deep and compressed, eyes large and lateral ; head 

 contained 3* 5 times and depth 1*6 times in length ; greatest depth in 

 vertical from fourth dorsal ray. Mouth very protractile, can be protruded 

 nearly three inches, cleft nearly vertical ; seven branchiostegals ; isthmus 

 deeply notched ; keel fluted, especially from ventral to anal, where it forms 

 a deep pocket in which the ventrals lie hidden when at rest ; one short dorsal 

 spine, one long ventral spine, and two short anal spines ; rays of first dorsal 

 and of pectorals were much broken, probably in the trawl ; caudal fin, straight 

 margin. Lateral line is gracefully curved and recurved. The coracoid bone 

 is very large and strong. Teeth small and villiform, present on mandible, 

 maxillary, and on vomer. Scales cycloidal, small, smooth and adherent : a 

 series of small rough scales along dark line at base of dorsal and prolonged 

 to interorbital space, also along base of anal fin and along keel to isthmus, 

 but scarcely formidable enough to be called bucklers or bony plates, cheeks 

 covered with small smooth scales. In colour a very silvery fish over the 

 whole body and head ; eye, black pupil, iris silvery white and brilliant ; fins, 

 first dorsal black, second dorsal, pectoral, and anal pink, ventral white with 

 black tips, caudal crimson with white posterior margin tipped with black. 

 The stomach contained white mucus ; ovaries large and very full of ova the 

 size of large pin points, ovarian duct terminating at vent ; air-bladder close 

 to vertebras, large, simple, cylindrical, and of a silvery colour : pyloric caeca 

 numerous and small, also covered with much fat, number 82. 

 tion of the ovaries was almost gravid. 



Dimensions. 



Total length 



Length 



Head 



Depth or height 



Least depth of tail 



Eye diameter 



Eye from snout 



Dorsal from snout 



Pectoral ,, ,, 



Ventral „ „ 



Anal „ ,, 



ber 82. 



The condi 



ches. 



7-8 





6-7 





2-2 





4-0 





0-45 





0-70 





1-30 





3-40; leu 



gth 3-40 



2-00 



, 0-90 



3-00 



, 0-80 



4-00 



, 3-00 



