NATURAL SCIENCES OP PHILADELPHIA 211 



species can, however, be considered congeneric with the latter, the character 

 of the " strong teeth " must be better known. 



Leptophidium phofundorum Gill. 



The greatest height equals about a tenth of the extreme length, and is de- 

 veloped at the pectoral region ; it thence almost uniformly decreases to the 

 end, and at the anus equals an eleventh of the same; the thickness behind the 

 pectoral fins equals seven-tenths of the height, and almost uniformly decreases 

 to the end like the height. The anus is at the end of the first third of the length. 

 The head forms rather less than a sixth of the length, and is transversely 

 convex above and moderately inflated on the sides ; the greatest width equals 

 half its length. The eye is rather longer than the snout, subcircular, and its 

 diameter slightly exceeds two-sevenths of the head's length ; its pupil is small, 

 the diameter equalling only a third of that of the eye. The width of the inter- 

 ocular region rather exceeds two-ninths of the head's length. The supra- 

 maxillary ends behind under the hinder margin of the pupil. 



The dorsal fins commence nearly over the middle of the pectoral fin, and 

 with the second fifth of the length and is moderately high ; the anal com- 

 mences immediately behind the anus, and is about as high as the dorsal ; the 

 caudal rays of the fin are the longest. The pectoral fin little exceeds half the 

 head's length, and the longest branch of the ventral is less than a third of the 

 head's length, and three-fifths greater than the shorter. 



The color is a light rufous ; the vertical fins margined with black. 

 The following table shows the relative proportions : 

 Extreme length, (7 in.) 100 ; Length to end of middle caudal rays. 

 Body. Greatest height 10; greatest width 7; height at anus 9; width 

 at anus 7; height between anus and caudal 6J. 



Head. Greatest length 16 ; distance from snout to nape 11 ; greatest 

 width 8; width of interocular area 3; height of preorbital li ; length of 

 snout 4 ; length of supramaxillary 6. 



Eye. diameter 4J; diameter of pupil U. 



Dorsal (spinous). Distance from snout 21 ; height over anus 4; height near 

 caudal 5. 



Anal. Distance from snout 33 ; height at middle 4| ; height near caudal 4. 

 Caudal. Length of middle rays 5J ; length of external rays. 

 Pectoral. Length 8J. 



Ventral. Length of longer branch 5 ; length of inner branch 3. 

 A single specimen of this species, seven inches in length, was obtained by 

 Commodore Rodgers, from the sounding line, at a depth of thirty fathoms 

 in the Gulf stream, off the coast of Florida. It is in very fine condition. 



The species is distinguished from the brevibarbe, if that fish indeed belongs 

 to this genus, at least by the more anterior anus, the smaller mouth and the 

 more posterior origin of the dorsal fin. 



Sept. 1st. 

 Mr. Cassin in the Chair. 



Seventeen members present. 



Mr. Kilvington exhibited a specimen of Arctic soil, brought home 

 by Dr. Hayes in a box with Arctic plants. After repeated trial, Mr. 

 K. had failed to induce anything to grow in the soil. 



The following papers were presented for publication : 



" Synopsis of the subfamilies and genera of Beryeoids j" " Synopsis 



1863.] 



