96 u ENDEAVOUR " SCIENTIFIC RESULTS. 



were obtained by the "Challenger" 1 . The "Endeavour" 

 specimens differ from Richardson's description and figure chiefly 

 in having the preorbital and various opercular bones almost 

 entire instead of serrated, the dorsal originating behind instead of 

 above the base of the pectoral, and the pectoral much more 

 elongate. 



Loc. The specimens examined were taken in the trawl with 

 several others of similar size in the Great Australian Bight, 

 Lat. 33'18'S, Long. 12642'E., in 130-170 fathoms. Their 

 eating quality proved very good, the flesh being white and flaky. 

 They were forwarded to Sydney in ice, and the largest weighed 

 41 Ibs. after being thawed out. 



FAMILY BERYCIML 



Genus BERYX, Cuvier. 



BERYX DECADACTYLUS, Cuvier fy Valenciennes. 



Beryx decadactylns, Cuvier & Valenciennes, Hist. Nat. Poiss., 

 iii., 1829, p. 222. Id. Giinther, "Challenger" Rept., 

 Zool., xxii , 1887, p. 33, pi. vi. (skeleton.) 



Beri/.i' *i>~leit<leiis, Lowe, Cambr, Phil. Trans., vi., 1839, pi. iii. 

 (not description). 



Three large examples, 460-500 mm. long, agree with Lowe's 

 excellent figure of this species, and with the proportions and such 

 external parts as are shown in Gunther's plate. When first 

 received in ice, the entire body and fins were of a uniform 

 carmine pink, each scale and the opercular bones being shot with 

 a beautiful silvery blue iridescence. 



Loc. Eastern slope of Bass Strait, between Gabo and Flinders 

 Island, outside the 100 fathom line. 



FAMILY TRACHICHTHYID^. 

 Genus HOPLOSTETHUS, Cuvier Valenciennes. 



Hoplostethus, Cuvier & Valenciennes, Hist. Nat. Poiss., iv., 

 1829, p, 469 (H. mediterranens, Guv. & Val.) 



The identification of the several species of this genus offers 

 many difficulties, partly owing to the fact that they have nearly 

 all been described from young specimens, and again because their 

 scanty representation in collections has prevented any systematic 



1 Giinther "Challenger" Eept., Zool., xxxi., 1889, p. 11, pi. ii., 

 fig. F (head). 



