Art. XXIX.—Notes on the Sword Fish (Ziphias gladius).

Transactions and Proceedings of the Royal Society of New Zealand, Volume 8, 1875, Page 219

Art. XXIX.—Notes on the Sword Fish (Ziphias gladius). By T. F. Cheeseman, F.L.S. [Read before the Auckland Institute, 16th August, 1875.] Dr. Hector, in a valuable contribution to New Zealand icthyology, printed in last year's volume of “Trans. N. Z. Inst.,” introduces the well-known Sword Fish of the North Atlantic (Ziphias gladius) as an inhabitant of the New Zealand seas, on the authority of a dried snout obtained by Mr. G. M'Leod from the natives at Ngunguru, and presented by that gentleman to the Auckland Museum. During the last year I have been able to collect some additional evidence of the occurrence of this curious fish that appears to me to be worthy of record. In the early part of last January an adult specimen was stranded at Shelly Beach; and, through the kindness of Mr. T. Jenkins, I was enabled to secure the greater portion of the skeleton for the Museum, and to obtain

the following measurements while the animal was still entire:— Feet. Inches. Total length from tip of snout to end of caudal fin 11 3 Length of snout from tip to centre of eye 3 11 ½ " " to gape 4 1 " " to free edge to operculum 4 6 " " to nostrils 3 7 " of lower jaw from point to gape 0 11 Projection of upper jaw over lower 3 2 Height of dorsal fin 1 3 From dorsal to caudal 4 0 Length of pectoral fins 1 5 Length of anal 0 8 Height of second dorsal 0 2 ½ From anal to caudal 1 8 Width across the tail 2 3 Girth just behind the eyes 2 11 " behind dorsal 4 8 " " caudal 0 11 Diameter of eye 0 3 The extreme point of the snout (or so-called sword) was broken off, about three inches being wanting. This, of course, will require to be taken into account in considering the above measurements. About two months ago a paragraph appeared in the Southern Cross newspaper stating that a Sword Fish was then being exhibited in Auckland. This proved to be a second specimen of the Ziphias. On enquiry, I found that it had been washed by a heavy gale into shallow water inside the mouth of the Waikato River, and, being noticed by some sailors struggling among the breakers, was killed, and brought to Auckland for exhibition Its length was slightly under that of the first example, being less than ten feet, but the proportions were about the same. A second species of Sword Fish has occasionally been observed on our coasts, belonging to the genus Histiophorus, distinguished from Ziphias by the round snout and the presence of ventral fins. A good skull is in the Museum, obtained by Captain Mair near Opotiki; and I recently observed two nearly perfect skeletons not far from the mouth of the Waikato River, but unfortunately had no means of removing them.