HuTTON. — On the Geographical Relations of the N.Z. Fauna. 243 



are in the Indian Archipelago, and it ranges west to Madagascar, east to 

 Mexico and the West Indies, north to Japan, and south to New Zealand, but 

 is not found in Africa. The nearest ally of our species {E. gohioides) is 

 E. ohscura from Japan and China. 



The evidence, therefore, to be derived from the fresh-water fish goes to 

 prove that a close connection has existed between Australia, New Zealand, 

 and South America. The fact of two species of the same genus of grayling 

 being found in Australia and New Zealand respectively, while South. America 

 is inhabited by a closely allied but distinct genus, indicates either that our 

 connection with Australia was later than with South America, or that in the 

 old continent New Zealand and Australia were inhabited by one, and South. 

 America by another species of the same family. The fresh-water fish also 

 prove that our connection with the Chatham and Auckland Islands was much 

 later than with Australia. The distribution of Anguilla latirostris, which is 

 not found nearer than China,* adds its testimony to that of Lotella and 

 Ditrema of a former connection with that part of the world not by way of 

 Australia, and we shall find that this remarkable connection with China and 

 the Indian Archipelago, thus dimly shadowed out by the fishes, gets stronger 

 and stronger as we review the invertebrate animals. 



MOLLUSCA. 



Of the New Zealand Mollusea about 460 species are now known, of which 

 about one-half are found nowhere else. They show, as might be expected, a 

 marked affinity with Australia, but are still very distinct. We miss Olivella, 

 Vanikoro, JEutropia, Perna, Trigonia, and others j while Mitra, Columhella, 

 Marginella, Natica, Scala, Conus, Cyprcea, and Gardium are very feebly 

 represented with us. On the other hand Australia does not possess Buccinum, 

 and Fusus, Imperator, Purpura, Turritella and Pecten are much less developed 

 than in New Zealand. As, however, the affinity is decided I shall here limit 

 myself to pointing out our connection with other countries. 



Of Cephalopoda we possess eleven species, only two of which are peculiar 

 to New Zealand. Onychoteuthis bartlingii, Ommastrephes sloani, Nautilus 

 pompilius, and Argonauta nodosa, are all found in the Indian Ocean, and the 

 two last in the Pacific also, but none of them in Australia. 



Of marine Gasteropods and Conchifera, omitting the marine air breathers, 

 we have 330 species, about 160 of which are endemic. Of these Cyclina 

 kroyeri, Mytilus TnagelloMicus, and Anomia alectus are only found in South 

 America, as also is the genus Solenella. Chione mesodesma is found at 

 "Valparaiso and the Philippine Islands, Barhatia pusilla in Peru and Australia, 



* Dr. Giinther has lately described A. ohscura, a closely allied species, from the Fiji 

 Islands. 



