3GG CONTRIBUTIONS TO NORTH AMERICAN ICHTHYOLOGY - IV. 



enlarged at the occipital re-inn. No scales. Lateral line obsolete. 

 Head resembling that of Jlclone, the head proper small, short, and rather 

 broad, with tlat top and vertical sides. Nostrils large close together in 

 front of the eye, without tube or flap. Jaws excessively prolonged, 

 almost needle like, the upper the longer and somewhat recurved. Teeth 

 in both jaws small, very numerous, close-set, retrorse. Gill-openings 

 rather large, running downward and forward, separated by a narrow 

 isthmus. Pectorals well developed. Vent close behind pectorals, the 

 abdominal cavity extending far behind it. Anal fin beginning near the 

 vent, higher than the dorsal, becoming obsolete on the caudal filament. 

 Dorsal beginning close behind occiput, its anterior rays soft, succeeded 

 by a long series of very low spines, which are slightly connected by 

 membrane, their height rather less than the length of the interspaces; 

 on the tail, the spines again give place to soft rays. The soft rays of 

 the fins are connected by thin membrane instead of being imbedded in 

 thick skin, as in eels generally. Color translucent, the lower parts 

 dark, the back pale. Stomach not distensible. Muscular and osseous 

 systems well developed. Abdominal cavity extending far behind the. 

 vent. One genus known, with three species; singular inhabitants of 

 the deep seas. The position of this family among the Apodcs is perhaps 

 open to question. A second genus, (\>/ciit<i Gthr., with shorter, soft body, 

 posterior vent, and shorter vertical fins surrounding the tail, perhaps 

 belongs to this family. 



t; group Xt 'inlchtlnjlna Giinthrr, viii, 21.) 



178. NEIWICIITHYS Richardson. 

 (LrptorJiynvliw Lo\vc: ficlonopsis Brandt.) 

 (Richardson, Voyage Sainaran.u;, 1S-18, 10: type Xnnii-hfln/x .tcolopaccits Rich.) 



< 'haracicrs of the genus included above. (v/7,ua, thread; ty 1 ";, fish.) 



ft!>'2. \. scoloparoias Kill. 



Head comparatively Stout, its depth one-seventh its greatest length. 

 Kye moderate, less than one-third the length of the head \\ ithont snout. 

 Length of pectoral fins slightly less than height of the anal, which is 

 less than the height of the body and rather more than the greatest depth 







of the head. Tale above, belly and anal tin blackish, the color not 

 abruptly changing, the back somewhat spwkled. L. oG inches. At- 

 lantic. Ocean, in deep water; many specimens lately taken with the 

 beam-trawl off the Ne\\ Mn-land coast. 



(I.'irhardsoii, Voyage Samani MJJ. 10; ( ninther, viii, 21 : Lcplorlnjnclnis lcucl>tcnl>crtj\ 

 Lov.r i:ili,r<'2>*;* li-iiclili-nlnnji Brandt , M<?m. Ac. St. Peters!). Sav. Ctrau^. 

 171-174.) 



