596 SUBANTARCTIC ISLANDS OF NEW ZEALAND. [Pisces. 



The type of B. roseo-fictus is a small beach-dried specimen, but, as already 

 noted,* I find this to be but a young example of B. variegatus. The species is very 

 common in the rock-pools around the coast in the neighbourhood of Christchurch, 

 and proves to be equally so in similar situations at the Snares. Owing to their 

 mottled markings, these fishes are quite inconspicuous ; they lie very still until 

 disturbed, and, unless closely watched, are difficult to detect in the new situation 

 they may have chosen. I obtained the species at the Auckland Islands — ^in the seine 

 in Musgrave Harbour, and by line in Carnley Harbour. On hauling up a speci- 

 men from a crevice, amid sunken rocks, it was taken by a large Notothenia, and I 

 obtained both fishes, as previously recorded. Bovichtus variegatus is known also from 

 Campbell Island. 



The following is a description of one of the small rock-pool specimens : — ■ 



B. VII ; D. VIII, 19 ; A., 18 ; V. I, 5 ; P., lO-t-5 ; C, 13+4. 



Length of head, 2-9 ; height of body, 5-0 ; and length of caudal, 4-5 in the total. 

 The eye is large, lateral, its diameter 3-2 in the length of the head, and more than 

 twice the interorbital space. The snout is a little shorter than the eye. The upper 

 jaw is the longer, and the maxilla extends to below the front margin of the eye ; 

 cleft of the mouth horizontal. The opercular spine is directed upwards and back- 

 wards ; its length is equal to the diameter of the eye. 



Teeth. — Villiform, in the jaws on the vomer and palatines. 



Fins. — The base of the first dorsal fin is half the length of the second, and has 

 a rounded margin ; the first five spines are subequal in length, the second being the 

 longest, and 2-4 in the length of the head ; the last three spines decrease almost 

 vertically ; the soft dorsal anteriorly is of similar height, its rays decrease regularly 

 in length. The anal is lower, its longest ray (the third) being 3-1 in that of the head. 

 All the rays are simple ; the last four are thickened, and similar in character to the 

 lower pectoral rays. The ventral spine is fiat and sabre-like, its length 1-4 in the 

 head ; the first ray is one-tenth longer, the rest rapidly decrease in length ; the 

 pectoral is pointed, the upper simple ray being the longest, and equal in length to 

 the head. The caudal is subtruncate, its peduncle low, 2-6 in the height of the 

 body. 



The head and body are naked ; the lateral line rises above the opercular spine, 

 dips to the middle of the side, and runs between the bases of the central caudal rays. 

 The tubules are directed alternately upwards and downwards, but run straight along 

 the caudal peduncle. 



Colours. — The ground-colour is silvery, with red markings, the paired and caudal 

 fins being orange ; or the colour is olive, with brown markings, the fins named being 

 bright yellow. All examples are silvery beneath. The head is brown, with darker 

 brown and grey marks ; some brown bars arranged below the eye pass forward 

 over the jaws, forming five dots on the upper lip. Five distinct vertical bars on the 

 body, below the lateral line, not coincident with similar, though less distinct, bars 

 above. Some irregular white dots may be present along the anterior part of the lateral 

 line, and interspaces below the line may be lighter than the ground in colour. 



The fins are marked wdth reddish bars, two wide oblique ones on the first dorsal 

 and a black spot at the base of the vii-viii spines. Four oblique bars on the soft dorsal, 



* Waite, Rec. Cant. Mus., i, 1907, p. 35. 



