Fish Exhibited

Transactions and Proceedings of the Royal Society of New Zealand, Volume 19, 1886, Page 590

Fish Exhibited 2. “On a new Species of Giant Cuttle-Fish, (Architeuthis kirkii),” by C. H. Robson. Communicated by Dr. Hector. (Transactions, p. 155.) 3. “On the Earth-worms of New Zealand,” by W. W. Smith. (Transactions, p. 123.) 4. “On the Track of a Word,” by E. Tregear. (Transactions, p. 482.) 5. “Additional Information concerning the Eruption at Rotomahana,” by Dr. Hector. Illustrated by photographic views taken by Mr. C. Spencer. Dr. Hector stated that the curves registered by the barographs or self-registering barometers at Auckland, Rotorua, Wellington, Lincoln (Christchurch), and Dunedin, had been received, and showed curious modifications, which might throw some light on these eruptions. The Lincoln barometer showed on the 21st May, at 3 p.m., a very marked indentation, that reappeared on many days at intervals of twenty-four hours. A similar, but inverted, notch was noticed on the 24th at Rotorua, and for some days subsequently, but was wanting at other places. A still more curious fact was, that further notches had appeared on the 28th June and the 1st July, (after the eruption), at Lincoln, which made him doubt any possible connection between these curves of the barograph and our New Zealand eruptions. He pointed out that at the time of the Sunda eruptions, in 1883, such disturbances in the atmospheric pressure were noticed here and at other places, and suggested that possibly the recent eruptions of Etna, or some outbreak of Mounts Erebus or Terror, in the Antarctic Continent, might have something to do with the matter. Exhibits.—Dr. Hector showed a new and valuable food fish, caught off the Island of Kapiti by Mr. S. H. Drew. It belongs to the genus Pimelepterus, all recorded species of which are confined to tropical seas; but Dr. Günther states in a private note that a fish of this kind caught in Sydney Harbour has been erroneously placed in the genus Pachymetopon. The name proposed for this new species is Pimelepterus drewii. A specimen of Girella simplex, caught in the Wanganui River, also by Mr. Drew, was exhibited. This fish, Captain Gilbert Mair recognises as the true Parore of the Natives, which at certain seasons frequents the mangrove swamps in the North, and about the true nature of which there has been much uncertainty.