VERTEBRATE ZOOLOGY. 465 



The species described as new by Dr. Gunther from the 

 collections of the Challenger number sixty-one, and among 

 them are the representatives of sixteen perfectly new gener- 

 ic types, whose affinities even, in most cases, are quite re- 

 mote from any of the forms previously known. Several 

 species were secured from casts made in water 2750 fathoms 

 deep. We can here only give the relationships as indicated 

 by Dr. Gunther, reserving for another Annual more explicit 

 information. The families most numerously represented are 

 the Gadidce, Brotulidce, JSIacruridw, and Scopelidw, of which 

 the first three divide twenty-six species among themselves, 

 while the Scopelids number seventeen species, all belonging 

 to types quite distinct from those found in shallow waters. 

 Of the others, one belongs to the family of Scorpamids ; 

 one to the Cottids ; four to the Stomiatids ; two to the 

 Salmonids (belonging to the new genus Bathylagus, and 

 probably representing a "new" family) ; five to the Alepo- 

 cephalids ; two to the Halosaurids ; one to the Nemich- 

 thyids ; and one to a new family of Apodals allied to the 

 Nemichthyids. These have all been described in the Annals 

 and 3/agazine of Natural History, for July, August, and 

 September, 1878. 



The fish-fauna of the depths is thus assuming notable pro- 

 portions; and it is already in season to reconsider the ad- 

 visability of enumerating its representatives in the faunal 

 works of the countries to which they are nearest, as has 

 been the custom. Such species cannot be considered as in- 

 tegral constituents of the littoral fauna of any one country 

 any more than can the fishes of Great Britain, for example, 

 of the United States. In fact, there is a greater difference 

 between the shallow-water fishes of the United States and 

 the deep-sea species than there is between the former and 

 the littoral fishes of Great Britain. The ichthyography of the 

 depths of the ocean is yet in its infancy ; enough is known, 

 however, to indicate that certain (generic) types have an al- 

 most universal range in the bathmic and isothermal zone 

 they affect, and their distribution is perhaps, in many cases, 

 coincident with the temperature and conditions suitable for 

 them, while those that are especially limited to small areas 

 are probably in the minority. In future ichthyologies, there- 

 fore, this element will doubtless be considered as an inde- 



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