520 JOURNAL OF SCIENCE. 
establishing quarantine stations at the northern and western 
extremities of the coasts, so that vessels approaching the colonies 
with infectious diseases on board might promptly land the sick ; 
and then, after purification, come on in quarantine to their des- 
tination. 
Sydney, 1st August, 1883.—Hon. Professor Smith, M.L,C., Pre- 
sident, in the chair. 
New members—Messrs. O. Schulze; R. B. Smith, M.L.A.; 
G. M. Styles. 
Paper—(1) ‘‘On Plants used as Food and for Medicine, etc., 
by the Natives of North Queensland,” by Mr. E. Palmer, 
OTAGO INSTITUTE. 
Dunedin, July roth, 1883.—A. Montgomery, Esq., President, 
in the chair. | 
Papers—(1) ‘‘On a specimen of the great Ribbon Fish (Rega- 
lecus argenteus, n. sp.), recently obtained at Moeraki, Otago,” by 
Professor Parker. A considerable part of the paper was occupied 
with a critical resumé of the results of former observers on the 
characters of the various species of this rare deep-sea fish. The 
author concluded that it would be impossible to assign the present 
specimen to any of the hitherto described species, and proposed — 
to make it the type of a new species, characterised as follows :— 
Regalecus argenteus, D. 15/192; P. 13; V.1; Br. 6. 
Height of the body about one-tenth, length of the head about 
one-seventeenth of the total length. Eye one-sixth of the length 
of the head. Length and height of the head about equal. The 
fifteen anterior dorsal rays form a crest, the height of which is 
more than double that of the head ; its rays have their lower halves 
united by membrane, their upper halves having a narrow mem- 
branous fringe; more or fewer of them terminate in lanceolate 
cutaneous lobes, and they are not spinose, Ventral rays fringed 
posteriorly by membrane. No caudal fin. Four longitudinal 
ridges and an indistinct fifth extend trom head to tail above the 
lateral line, by which they are obliquely cut in front. Surface 
studded with numerous hard but not bony tubercles, which are 
largest and most elevated on the ridges; those forming the ventral 
edge are not perceptibly hooked backwards. Teeth absent. Sil- 
very, with irregular, wavy, sub-vertical stripes and spots ; forehead 
and membranous portions of mouth blue-black ; fins crimson. 
Total length 12°5 feet ; greatest height 15°25 inches; greatest 
thickness 3°5 inches. | 
(2). ‘*On the occurrence of the Spinous Shark (Echinorhinus 
spinosus) in NeW Zealand Waters,’ by Professor Parker. This 
species is usually stated to be confined to the Mediterranean and 
Atlantic, extending from the coast of England to the Cape of Good 
Hope. It is believed that the present specimen is the first which 
has been recorded beyond the usual range. The specimen having 
been greatly damaged, the author gives no description of it be- 
yond a quotation of the generic and specific characters, from Giin- 
ther’s ‘‘ Catalogue of Fishes,” 
