T. W. Kirk. — Additions to the List of Neiv Zealand Fishes. 309 



side ; the first is the shortest, about half the diameter of the eye ; the 

 following increase in length to the fifth, which is tallest, one-half the length 

 of the head ; the last is rather longer than one-half the fifth. The anterior 

 rays do not exceed in length the last spine, the whole soft portion is covered 

 with minute scales. The caudal is scaly at the base only, forked, each lobe 

 being 4J inches in the total length. The anal fin begins in a vertical from 

 the last dorsal spine, and terminates a little behind the dorsal ; the three 

 spines are as long as the dorsal ones. * * * The pectorals are scaly 

 at the base, pointed, one-sixth of the total length, and do not reach to 

 the vertical from the vent. The ventrals are inserted behind the pectorals, 

 and reach to the vent ; their spuae is not quite one-half the length of the 

 head. The teeth of the jaws form a villiform band, with an outer series of 

 stronger ones, which are very slightly flattened. There is a small patch 

 of teeth on the head of the vomer." 



Dr. Giinther speaking of the specimens in the British Museum, says : 



" The ground-colour is noiu greyish-yellow, and appears to have been red in 

 life. The back and sides are banded with brown." 



When fresh, the ground-colour of the New Zealand specimen was bright 

 silver, the bands black — not brown, as stated by Dr. Giinther ; these 

 colours have, however, become much lighter since the fish was placed in 

 spirits. 



Another and larger specimen, obtained at Port Jackson, Australia is 

 in the Colonial Museum ; its colours are the same as those of the New 

 Zealand specimen, but not quite so bright, probably from its having been 

 longer preserved. 



The food of this species appears to be composed almost entu^ely of 

 Diatoms. 



Atherina pinguis, Lacep. 



Lacep. v., p. 372, pi. 11, fig. 1 ; Giinth. in., p. 399. 



D. 5-613^,. A.^^^. 



" The origin of the spinous dorsal fin is at some distance behind the ver- 

 tical fi'om the vent, con- 

 sequently the dorsal is 

 much nearer to the 

 anal than to the root 

 of the ventral. * * 

 * The height of the 

 body is contained five 

 times and two-thirds in the total length, the length of the head four times 

 and two-thirds. The diameter of the eye is equal to the width of the inter- 

 orbital space. Snout obtuse, short, with the cleft of the mouth oblique, 



