THE AGE OF NEW ZEALAND. 
429 
defence,, instances of death from its sting not being uncom- 
mon ; the peculiar form of this fish adapts it for shallow 
waters, where it abounds, the natives when fording them 
sometimes touch one of these dangerous fish, which imme- 
diately elevates its tail and strikes the offender with its barb 
or sting, which is concealed in a case beneath, and lubri- 
cated with a poisonous slimy matter, the saw-like sting 
causes a jagged wound, extremely difficult to heal, which 
sometimes proves fatal. The Grastronemus Rhombus of the 
Eocene, beautiful specimens of which may be seen in the 
Liverpool Museum ; this fish is distinguished by its dorsal 
bi-forked spine, and appears to be identical with the New 
Zealand Pakirikiri. 
Many of the shells also in New Zealand closely resemble 
the fossil ones of Britain, this applies to several species of 
the Terebratula, which are found both in a living and fossil 
state : such is also the case with the annularia australis , which 
is found in the London clay ; the Typhis Pungens of the 
Eocene is also there a living shell ; the Lingula anatina, so 
named from its resemblance to a duck^s bill, is a singular 
shell, being the only known bivalve that is pedunculated, 
unless the terebratula be so ; it is an Australian shell, found 
in Moreton Bay, and also in the Philippines, Hugh Miller 
not unaptly likened it to a wooden spade with a handle. 
The Trigonia , a characteristic shell of the Oolite, still lives 
in Sydney harbour and other parts of Australia. The volva- 
ria Bulloides of the Eocene, is also a recent shell of the 
southern seas. 
The cocks-comb oyster, which is found both upon the 
rocks and in mangrove swamps whose range in the southern 
hemisphere reaches to 37° S. lat., seems to be coextensive 
with the mangrove, for where it terminates there also 
this tree oyster (Dendrostrea, S. W.) ends ; it grows not 
only on the roots of that semi-marine tree, but likewise 
attaches itself to the lower branches which touch the water 
when the tide is in ; it thus forms large masses, one adhering 
to another, when the branch decays they fall into the mud, 
and there form considerable deposits. Not only is this ostrea 
