THE CHARACTERS OF THE DEEP-SEA FAUNA 69 



same in all the regions of deep seas. In depths of 

 300 to 600 fathoms the majority are large-eyed forms. 

 This is as we should expect, for it is more than 

 probable that many of these forms occasionally wander 

 into shallower waters where there is a certain amount 

 of sunlight. 



In depths of over 1,000 fathoms, the small-eyed 

 and blind forms are in a majority, although many 

 large-eyed forms are to be found. 



Among fishes, for example, we find the species of 

 Haloporphyrus found in depths of 300-600 fathoms 

 with large eyes ; and so with Dicrolene, Ci/ttus 



<il,l>reci<itus, and many other forms that are known 



t/ 



to live in water of less depth than 700 fathoms ; 

 while on the other hand in Melanocetus Miirr/n/i, Ipnops 

 Murrwyij many deep-sea eels and other fish that are 

 truly abysmal and live chiefly in depths of over 1,000 

 fathoms, the eyes are either very small or absent. 



Some interesting examples may be found in the 

 species of widely distributed genera to illustrate 

 these points. Thus in Neobythites grandis, from 

 1,875 fathoms, the eye is small, only one-eleventh 

 the length of the head, but in Neobythites macrops, 

 N. oeellatus. and iV. qillii from shallower water it is 



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much larger. 



