Arthur. — On New Zealand Fishes. 



167 



both jaws and pharyngeals, but absent on palatines and vomer. Lower 



phryngeals separate. Premaxillary slightly protractile. Eye lateral, not 



large. Pectoral continuous with branchiostegals which coalesce in their 



coverings with the isthmus, and which thus is not externally visible. No 



apparent lateral line. Fins have soft branched rays, the dorsal being long 



and continuous though divisible into two, caudal fan-shaped. Ventrals 



thoracic and secreted in a pocket of the skin, one simple spine in each. 



Vertebrae and apophyses bony. Colour, dark-brown on head and trunk, 



somewhat lighter on belly, with black more or less distinct bands round 



margin of the fins, which are white-tipped. The band is plainest on the 



caudal fin. A row of oval salmon-coloured spots round margin of posterior 



dorsal and pectoral fins, and numerous round, oval and crescent-shaped 



spots of same colour scattered all over head, trunk, and fins, giving this 



fish a leopard-like appearance. Those on top of head are lighter, and have 



scattered through them many small black pigment spots. Stomach. — This 



organ was large and balloon -shaped, and contained two crabs an inch and a 



half across the tips of the claws each, also three shrimps and a stringy-like 



mass which I could not recognize. There was no visible outlet that I could 



find from the stomach to the vent, and the mouth was full of excreta. No 



air-bladder present. 



It is probable that this species is capable of rising through the water 



by the inflation of the loose covering which its body possesses, and so feeds 



on the surface, as at other times it manifestly does on the bottom. 



Dimensions. 



Inches. 



Length 







1 o 



. 6-0 



Least depth of tail 





. 



. 0-55 



Head 





. . 



. 2-3 



Eye diameter 





. . . 



. 0-4 



Eye from snout 





■ 



. 0-8 



Dorsal from snout 





. . . 



. 2-8 



Pectoral (superior origin) 





. 



. 2-2 



Ventrals ,, 







. 2-2 



Anal ,, 







. 4-5 



Several more individuals of this species were taken by above cutter off 

 the Heads about the same date as above-described one. One of these nine 

 inches long came into my possession, and an examination of it was made 

 from which I am enabled to add these remarks : — ■ 



D. 9/15 ; P. 22 ; V. 1 ; A. 10 ; C. 10 ; Br. 4 ; Pyl. caaca 4 (?). 



Owing to the apparently very perishable nature of the viscera (in 

 part) I only made out as I think a short delicate intestine, but could 

 not discover any opening into stomach or outwards towards the vent 



