808 CONTRIBUTIONS TO NORTH AMERICAN ICHTHYOLOGY - IV. 



444. HYPSICOMETES Goode. 



(Goode, Proc. U. S. Nat. Mus. 1880, 347: type Htjpsicometes gobioides Goode.) 



Body elongate, covered with large scales; mouth rather small, hori- 

 zontal, the lower jaw much projecting; 2 or 3 rows of feeble teeth on 

 jaws and vomer; none on palatines. Eyes large, superior, near to- 

 gether. No barbel ; no pseudobranchiiD. Caudal fin separate ; 2 dor- 

 sal fins, the first of a few long rays, the second with a longer base, 

 entire, and similar to the anal ; ventrals well developed, each of rays. 

 Deep-sea fishes. (&>t', in deep water; /.(u^.rjrr^^ dweller.) 



1246. II. gobioides Goode. 



Color grayish, clouded with darker; belly pale; a large dark blotch 

 at base of upper rays of caudal. Head rather broad and depressed, 

 its width about equal to greatest depth of body; maxillary reaching 

 front of orbit; snout broad, rounded, as long as eye. Caudal truncate; 

 longest rays of first dorsal as long as the snout; ventrals wide apart, 

 with broad bases, inserted far in advance of the pectorals. Head 3; 

 depth 8. D. 6-17; A. 16; V. 6; Lat. 1. 58. L. 2 inches. Gulf Stream, 

 off the coast of Ehode Island. (Goode.) 



(Goode, Proc. U. S. Nat. Mus. iii, 348, 1880.) 



445. MERLUCIUS Rafinesqne. 

 Hakes. 



(Rafinesque, Caratteri di Alciini Nuovi Generi, etc. 1810, 26: type Gadus merlucius L.) 



Body elongate, covered with small deciduous scales. Head slender, 

 conical, the snout long, depressed; a well-defined, oblong, triangular 

 excavation at the forehead, bounded by the ridges on the separated 

 frontal bones; these ridges converge backwards into the low occipital 

 crest; eye rather large; edge of preopercle free; preopercle with a 

 channel behind its crest, crossed by short radiating ridges; mouth 

 large, oblique; maxillaries extending to opposite the eyes; lower jaw 

 longest; no barbels; jaws with slender teeth, of various sizes, in about 

 2 series, those of the inner row longer and movable; vomer with sim- 

 ilar teeth; palatines toothless. Brauchiostegals 7. Gill-rakers long; 

 gill-membranes not united. Dorsal fins 2, well separated, the first 

 short, the second long, with a deep emargination : anal emargiuate, 

 similar to second dorsal; ventral fins well developed, with about 7 

 rays; vertebra peculiarly modified, the neural spines well developed 

 and wedged into one another; frontal bone double and the skull oth- 



