Page:Transactions NZ Institute Volume 11.djvu/356

300 Dr. Hobson, of Tasmania, has given an admirable description of C. australis, which he dissected and described in 1840 (Tasmanian Journal of Natural Science, Vol. I.) This species is near to C. antarcticus in the size of its pectorals, etc., but widely different in the shape of its tail. Its length is said to be 2 feet 6 inches. His whole paper is replete with valuable and interesting information relative to the viscera, and other organs and parts of this peculiar fish. One short sentence only can I quote:—"The inferior extremity is especially interesting from its quadruped-like form; here is, in reality, the pelvis of the fish." I quote this the more willingly in hopes that some of our young anatomists (to whom that circumstance quoted may be unknown), may also be led to dissect and describe other species of this curious genus; seeing, too, that they are not uncommon here on our shores during the summer.





the 21st January, 1878, my attention was called to an unusually large caterpillar, apparently asleep on the trunk of an Acacia tree (silver wattle). At first sight, it seemed so much like the bark of the tree in hue, that it was not readily distinguished from it. The larva was stretched out to its full length, nearly 3″ 6‴; it was elongate, and of the ordinary form, pretty evenly cylindrical throughout, though thickest in the middle and tapering towards its head and tail, and skin smooth. In colour, it was peculiarly mottled or finely speckled (irrorated) with very minute points of black, red (carmine), and ash colours—the latter predominating—which, combined, and at a little distance gave it the colour of the reddish-grey bark of the tree above-mentioned. It had two minute bright red (carmine) spots close together on its back, near the tail, and when in motion two large triangular dark splashes were displayed on its back; the colour of the belly of the larva was pale (dull white), with several round olive spots in pairs, corresponding to its belly feet. Its head was small, of a pale Indian-yellow colour; its hind feet were large, and it had also two broad anal feet. 