HuTTON. — On the Geographical Relations of the N.Z. Fauna. 241 



are also four others that are common to both Australia and South America, 

 five common to Australia and South Africa, two common to Australia and 

 the Pacific Islands, and one common to Australia and the Auckland Islands. 

 Thus the total number of our sea fishes found in Australia is fifty, in South 

 America and the Cape of Good Hope nine each, three {ProsojJodasys cottoides, 

 Trygon huhlii, and Ostracion fornasini) are not found nearer than the Indian 

 Archipelago (the identification, however, of the latter is doubtful), and one 

 {Halargyreus johiisoni) has been obtained at Madeira only. The remaining 

 thirteen are widely ranging species. These 134 species have been distributed 

 among 114 difierent genera, eleven of which are not found elsewhere. The 

 connection with Australia is here, as might be expected, so well marked that 

 I need not dwell upon it, but will proceed to examine the affinities of New 

 Zealand to other countries. Our former connection with South America is 

 indicated by Mendosoma lineata, Notothenia cornucola, Merluccias gayi, and 

 Genypterus hlacodes', with South Africa by Trigla humu, Gonorhynchus greyi, 

 and Bdellostoma cirrhatum, while the occurrence of Gonorhynchus greyi and 

 Gongromuroina hahentata at St. Paul's shows that that little volcanic island 

 was also probably connected. The occurrence in New Zealand of species 

 belonging to the southern genera Pseudorhombus, Bovichthys, Agriopus, 

 Chilodactylus and Scorpis points to the extension of a former antarctic 

 continent, of which these islands forrued a part, while Acanthurus triostegus, 

 Dascyllus atnianus, Chanos salmoneics, Peltorhamphus novce-zealandim, a species 

 of stingaree allied to Trygon tludassia, and species of the genera Lahricthys 

 and Trachelochismus, show an affinity for the islands of the Pacific. 



I have already remarked that three of our fishes are not found nearer than 

 the Indian Archipelago, and it is probable that our species of Torpedo and 

 Doryichthys came from that direction also. But a still more curious affinity 

 to Japan is shown by the presence of the genera Lotella and Ditrema, and 

 another little fish {Galloptilum punctatum) which is found at the mouth of the 

 river Thames, and which has its nearest allies in the genus Bregmaceros from 

 China and the Philippine Islands. Gonorhynchus greyi and Clupea sagax are 

 also both found in Japan, but they occur in Australia as well. Our species of 

 Ditrema differs from D. Imve of Japan in having teeth on its palate, and a 

 band of teeth in each jaw instead of a single row. Platystethus cidtraturriy 

 from Norfolk Island, is also closely allied. This connection with China and 

 Japan is, I consider, the <3hief point of interest in the distribution of our 

 marine fish. 



In the genus Trypterygiuni, which is found only in the Mediterranean, we 

 have an anomaly which is parallel to the cases of Fuligula and Mergus among 

 the birds, and as we proceed we shall find many other similar cases 

 cropping up. 



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