592 SUBANTARCTIC ISLANDS OF NEW ZEALAND. [Pisces. 



with a posterior flap, and situated midway between the eye and the front of 

 the head. 



The vilHform teeth stand in a wide band above and below ; the anterior teeth 

 in both jaws form a single row of widely spaced canines ; tongue and palatines 

 smooth ; a broad frenum behind the teeth in both iaws. 



Fins. — The dorsal arises in advance of the opercular edge, and has a rounded 

 margin ; the second spine is longest, 3-3 in the length of the head. The highest 

 rays of the second dorsal are somewhat longer, and its base measures half 

 the distance between the anterior border of the eye and the base of the caudal 

 rays. The anal commences beneath the fifth dorsal ray, and terminates evenly 

 with that fin ; its rays are thickened and free at the margin. The pectoral 

 is evenly rounded, and extends to above the base of the third anal ray, its 

 length being a little more than half that of the head. The ventral is placed 

 beneath the margin of the preopercle, and its length equals that of the pectoral. 

 The caudal is rounded, and the depth of its peduncle is twice the diameter of 

 the eye. 



The skin of the head is roughened, and scales are developed on the interorbital 

 space and occiput, also on the upper parts of the cheeks and opercles. Both 

 divisions of the lateral line are quite straight ; the upper one terminates beneath 

 the last dorsal ray, and the lower one commences ten scales in advance of this 

 point. 



Colour. — Bluish-black above, grey on the sides, and yellowish beneath. The 

 body is boldly mottled with black and grey ; and the lips, cheeks, and opercles, 

 and under -parts of the head bear small closely placed spots or irregular lines of 

 grey. All the fins are black, but the pectoral, ventral, anal, and caudal bear grey 

 spots. 



Length of specimen, 330 mm. 



Boulenger states that the species grows to a length of 400 mm., and that the 

 very massive adults have quite a cottoid physiognomy. We have examples 440 mm. 

 in length, and specimens show some diversity of coloration, mainly in the grey 

 colour being replaced by yellow. 



I obtained this species at the Snares, both by line and in rock-pools ; and 

 in Carnley Harbour, at the Auckland Islands. It is also known from Campbell 

 Island. 



In his report on the fishes of the voyage of the " Southern Cross," Dr. Boulenger* 

 reviews the family Nototheniidae, giving a synopsis of the species. The following 

 table is derived from an examination of fourteen specimens of N. microlefidota 

 taken on our expedition, and is supplied for comparison with details of other species 

 dealt with by Dr. Boulenger : — 



* Boulenger, Rep. Nat. Hist. Coll. " Southern Cross," 1902, p. 174. 



