THE CHAEACTEES OF THE DEEP-SEA FAUNA 61 



violet, and one species was characterised by a brilliant 

 blue band. The Ophidiidse, Nemichthys, and the like, 

 are usually of an ashy violet tint, while in Ipnops 

 and Bathypterois the tints were of a decidedly 

 yellowish brown.' 



That the deep-sea fish are usually devoid of any 

 pronounced spots, stripes, and other markings, is now 

 well recognised. It may not be altogether out of place, 

 however, to refer briefly to a few exceptions. 



The black circles on the abdomen of Neoscopehis 

 macrolepidotiis have already been referred to. 



Halosaurus johnsonianus has a black spot on the 

 tail. 



Aulostoma longipes has three pairs of large black 

 spots on the ventral side, but the specimen taken 

 in 1,163 metres of water by the 'Talisman' was 

 probably a young one. 



It is very probable that in all the exceptional 

 cases, when fish taken in deep-sea water have exhibited 

 such spots and markings, they are examples either 

 of fish that have quite recently adopted an abysmal 

 habitat or of young specimens exhibiting ancestral 

 inherited characters. 



In referring to a specimen of Raja circularis, taken 

 by the ' Triton ' in 516 fathoms, Giinther says : ' It is 



