Clarke. — On tivo new Fishes. 243 



Aet. XXX. — On two new Fishes. By F. E. Clakke. 



Plate. VI. 



[Read before tJie Westland Institute, 12th December, 1877.] 



Before proceeding -with the descriptions of tlie new species of fishes I have 



the honour to brmg under your notice this evening, a few remarks may not 



be out of place. 



Situated as we are on such a comparatively barren and exposed coast- 

 line, many perhaps will be astonished to hear that the opportunities for 

 collecting the rarities of pelagic life are much more frequent than might 

 be expected. Our exposed position at once accounts for this ; as a gale or 

 strong wind from almost any of the western points of the compass sends 

 home a heavy sea to our beaches, and, in all such cases, although a "heavy 

 blow" to some of the beach residents, affords delight to the collector; thus 

 again proving the old adage, " 'Tis an ill wind that blows nobody any 

 good." 



The fish I purpose first describing belongs to a genus exceedingly rare, 

 and up to the present has been found (after violent storms) in a few isolated 

 situations in the Mediterranean and Atlantic only. The number of species 

 (inclusive of our own) is five, and the individuals met with might almost be 

 numbered on our fingers. More common genera of the family to which 

 they belong, such as Scojjelus, MauroUcus, and Gonostoma, and with them 

 Cyttus abbreviatus, Hector,* — a fish the typical specimen of which was dredged 

 up during the " Challenger " expedition off the coast of New Zealand from 

 the great depth of 400 fathoms — -are cast up on our coast more or less by 

 every gale which sends a south-west sea home. And here let me digress, 

 and perhaps infringe on one of Captain TurnbuU's specialities, " the cur- 

 rents." The continuous set of current from south-west up the coast has 

 not been as prevalent lately as four or five years back. Then the occurrence 

 of the purely pelagic fishes — Crustaceans and Hydrozoa — was much more 

 frequent. Of late years the du'ection of wind has averaged more north 

 round by east, than south round by west, thus retarding the "set," and 

 driving any waifs and strays on surface currents from the coast. Only at 

 intervals has the " set " regained its former constancy with strong south- 

 westers, and we have again our casual flotsam. 



The fish secondly described forms a new genus in the family of Pediculati 

 and is truly " a king among kings " in a class of fishes containing some of 

 the most grotesque forms in nature. The probable use of the tentacular 

 appendage as an attractive lure, is beyond conjecture, as the habits of an 



* " Trans. N.Z. lust.," VII., p. 247, and IX, p. 4(55. 



