VEKTEBRATE ZOOLOGY. 471 



and other remains not preserved. The family lias, within 

 the last few years, been considerably enlarged, and three 

 species, representing as many previously unknown genera, 

 have been made known in 1878. The Ceratiids may be said 

 to be non-pedicidate JPediculates, deprived of ventral fins. For 

 although they are true Pediculates in all the essential feat- 

 ures of their organization, the actinosts, or bones that direct- 

 ly support the pectorals, are not much more elongated than 

 in many other fishes, and there is no geniculation so charac- 

 teristic of the other reju'esentatives of the order. The deep 

 sea of Greenland, compelled by the storms, had thrown up 

 almost all of the species heretofore known ; but now there are 

 certainly besides, (1) the Melanocetus found off Madeira; (2) 

 a form {JSIancalias xiranoscopus) found at the depth of 2400 

 fathoms, between the Canary and Cape Verde islands; and (3) 

 a new generic type {JEgeonicJithys appelli) very much like a 

 Greenland one, obtained at New Zealand. The open Atlan- 

 tic and Indian oceans, as well as the Gulf of Mexico, are also 

 known to have yielded other species, although they have not 

 yet been determined. There are several noteworthy peculi- 

 arities to these fishes. The eyes are very small ; the cephal- 

 ic spine is dilated into a bulbiform expansion, and this is in 

 most cases surmounted by, or gives rise to, a number of tenta- 

 cles; and, more than all, the bulb is grayish or whitish at its 

 terminal portion. The universal coincidence in the latter 

 respect leads to the conjecture that the peculiarity is more 

 than one of coloration, and it is quite possible, if not proba- 

 ble, that the whitish portion is histologically modified and 

 capable of phosphorescence. The complicated terminal ap- 

 pendages of the cephalic spine are evidently for the purpose 

 of attracting the prey of their possessors. It is well known 

 that such is the purpose of homologous parts in the allied 

 Lophiids (anglers) and Antennariids (toad-fishes) of the shal- 

 low seas, and the appendages of the Ceratiids are still more 

 elaborate and better adapted for the purpose. We can then 

 well believe that their angling ability is still further enhanced 

 by the capacity to attract the doomed prey by their delusive 

 light from a distance. That their ability to flourish in the 

 struggle for existence, notwithstanding their clumsy shape, 

 is great, is manifested by their development under so many 

 forms. 



