Clarke. — Besciiption of new Species of Trachypterus. 197 



" embalmed in alcohol," and from the coloured drawing taken when it first 

 reached me. This fact, however, does not detract much from the grotesque- 

 ness of its physique. The fish was obtained by Mr. Charles Eobinson, of 

 Arawata, Jackson's Bay, in a pool at high- water mark, which he had con- 

 structed as a store-pond for the purpose of keeping mussel-bait alive for 

 fishing, and had evidently been embayed in the pool on the tide retiring. 

 Mr. Eobinson placed the fish in a tin full of sea-water, in which it lived for 

 some short time, giving ample opportunity for the fuU appreciation of its 

 beauty. After it died it was handed to Mr. Macfarlane, E.M., for me, who 

 placed it in a weak solution of carbolic acid and forwarded it by Mr. Marks 

 of the Haast, who was opportunely proceeding to Hokitika. I must express 

 my thanks to these gentlemen for their kindness and attention in the matter, 

 as we were thus enabled to get the fish in a complete state of preservation 

 and perfectly fresh, the only damage accruing to it being a deterioration 

 and change in the colour of the fins, which were described to me by 

 Mr. Eobinson as being, when the fish w^as alive, " like brilliant red feathers 

 more than fins, this, coupled with the bright silver sides, made it gorgeous 

 in the extreme." How much more so would the larger varieties of the 

 family appear to one enabled to view them in their pristine elegance of form 

 and colour, undulating among the vast undisturbed ocean depths and 

 caverns they no doubt inhabit. 



I now proceed to give as full a description as I am enabled to make 

 without injuring the specimen before you. 



Trachypte7'us arawatce, n.s. 

 D.6 — 122, and 1 low rudimentary adipose fin. 

 P.9, V.l-}-5, A. low rudimentary adipose fin, 



ri8 upper soft portion. 

 ^■5' lower spiny do. 



