GENERAL NOTES. 7 485 
Nores From Hawke's Bay.—We have had several distinguished 
visitors here lately, and I am glad to say we have induced them to 
remain permanently—if not for the benefit of their health, at least for 
the sake of the increased accommodation that we shall shortly be able 
to offer them in the new room in the Atheneum buildings, in which 
the Philosophical Society will shortly take up their quarters. 
The first specimen was a nearly full-grown Veobalena marginata, 
and it was killed by the whalers at Port Mahia, at the north head of 
the Bay. ‘The complete skeleton of this whale has been secured, and is 
now being cleaned. 
Eprodon Chathamiensis.—In April, a whale came ashore on the 
Petane beach, near Napier, and I much regret that I was too late to see 
it before it was cut up by the Maories. I have, however, got the head 
and jaw. There is not the least appearance of any teeth at all at the 
apex of the lower jaw. I am allowing the skin to dry on it to see if 
there is any appearance of them when in a dry state. The skin which 
I saw on the junks of blubber was of a black colour with numerous 
white spots. ‘These spots were about two inches in diameter, but varied 
very much in shape, and resembled what are known as dendritic mark- 
ings in formation. On one piece of blubber they coalesced to form a 
stripe or band. The body of the whale was unfortunately washed out 
to sea before I could secure it. From the skull, however, I find it to be 
Eprodon Chathamiensis, differing from the published description in par- 
ticulars probably due only to age and sex. The portion of blubber 
saved yielded 64 gallons of excellent oil. The length was reported as 
19 feet. 
Hammer Shark (Scyllun laticeps.)—A small specimen of this 
strange sea-monster was caught in a net at Port Ahuriri, in April. It 
is only 36 inches long, but displays all the curious anomalies of its 
structure. 
_ Last, but certainly not least, is a magnificent specimen of the Short 
Sunfish—Orthagoriscus mola. I was informed by special messenger 
that an unknown fish had come ashore at Port Ahuriri, and had left his 
tail behind him. MHurrying down, I found the huge mass on the beach, 
and at once saw that it was avery large Sunfish; length 8 feet 14 inches. 
It was not damaged in the least, its tough shagreen-like skin resisting 
all attacks of gulls and terns which were flying round. By those com- 
petent to judge, it was supposed to weigh considerably over a ton; 
froma ton toaton anda half being the general estimate. I at once 
made arrangements to try and secure the skin, and remained on the 
beach till between 3 and 4 in the morning, heartily assisted in my 
endeavours by the enthusiastic Hon. Treasurer of our local Society. 
But after taking all the requisite measurements and making a sketch of 
it, we found on making an incision that the blubber-like lining to the 
skin was so thick that it would be impossible to remove the skin with- 
out a vast amount of Jabour and time. Reluctantly I rode home and 
left my colleague to arrange with tlic fisherman-owner to try and 
remove the skin of one side with the dorsai and ventral fin. ‘Two days 
after, the skin was brought up to me, and [ ai in hopes of preserving 
it, and making a satisfactory specimen for our museum, although there 
is yet a large amount of work to be done. I have several notes about 
some remarkably interesting points in the structure of this curious fish 
which I hope to communicate shortly.—-A. H. 
