Clarke. — Description of new Species of Traciiypterus. 



199 



bending quickly downwards, in vertical from end of second part of dorsal 

 fin, reaches the lower margin of body at tail, along which it rmis on each 

 side of the rudimentary anal fin, to its termination ; it is armed with 

 minute spines along almost the whole of its length ; spaced further apart 

 towards anterior portion, growing closer and slightly larger towards tail ; 

 they are not confluent where they reach the lower margin of body at tail. 

 Gill- openings large ; posterior terminating portion of inferior maxillaries 

 armed with blunt spine ; free portions of superior maxillaries wide ; mouth 

 small. Dentition, internal economy of mouth, verification of gill-rays and 

 arches, and intestines, etc., I have not fully examined and described at 

 present, as doing so would entail partial destruction of the specimen, which 

 has already slightly suffered from the examination and handling necessary 

 on copying, etc. Vent situated under two-thirds of the length of body 

 from snout. Thickest part of fish behind eyes -^-^ of an inch ; back a 

 trifle sharper than belly ; sides flat ; body high, tail very attenuated. 



Measurements. 



Inches. 

 Length of fish, (body and tail not including caudal fins) . . 2.53 



,, head .. .. .. .. .. .. 0.58 



,, upper portion of caudal fin . . . . . . 1.05 



Extreme length of lower portion of caudal fin . . . . 0.35 



Length of rudimentary anal fin . . .... . . 0.30 



Height „ ., „ .. .. .. .. 0.03 



Length of rudimentary 3rd portion dorsal fin . . . . 0.20 



Height „ „ ,, „ „ .. .. 0.05 



Direct length of 2nd portion of dorsal fin . . . . . . 2.05 



Height „„,,„„,, .. .. .. 0.44 



Width of base of 1st portion of dorsal fin .. .. .. 0.12 



Height of 1st do. do. ,, .. .. .. 1.05 



Extreme length of pectoral fins . . . . . . . . 0.24 



Width of base „ „ .. .. .. .. 0.07 



Extreme length of ventral fins . . . . . . . . 1.95 



Width at base „ „ . . . . . . . . 0.08 



Greatest diameter of eye . . . . . . . . . . 0.18 



,, depth of body (a little behind pectoral fins) . . 0.80 



Distance from snout to pectoral fins . , . . . . 0.60 



Colour. — As immersed in weak carbolic solution, was uniformly bright 



silver, with three circular dark greyish spots arranged along and close to 



upper margin of back ; fins brownish ; eyes silver, pupil black ; lateral 



line yellowish. 



Eeceived from Mr. Macfarlane, 29th January, 1880. 



Type specimen to be forwarded to Colonial Museum at Welhngton. 



