REPORT ON THE PELAGIC FISHES. H 



Linis porosxis, Richards (PI. II. fig. F). 



Diagramma porosa, Richards, Ereli. and Terr. Fish., p. 26, fig,?. 5, 6. 

 H)jpernghjphe porosa, Giinth., lo''. cit. 



Since the first discovery of this species during the voyage of the " Erebus" and 

 " Terror," no other .specimen seems to have fallen into the hands of a naturalist. 

 During the present voyage seven young examples. 25 to 30 mm. long, were obtained from 

 a patch of floating sea- weed near the Kermadec Lslands, Station 170. The hind margin 

 of the prpeoperculum is finely and evenly serrated, the angle and lower margin of the 

 bone being armed with coarser and longer teeth. Pale olive ; fins blackish, with the 

 exception of the caudal fin which is whitish. 



Lirus paucidens, n. sp. (PI. II. fig. E). 



T) 7 A3 



This species, of which I have only three very young specimens, is closely allied to Lirus 

 porosus, but the armature of the prseoperculum is very different ; some of the characters 

 here mentioned may apply to the young stage only. 



The height of the body is contained 2^ times in the total length (without caudal), 

 the length of the head 2\ times. Eye about one-third of the length of the head, 

 tlie maxillary not extending to below the middle of the eye. The entire margin of 

 the prseoperculum armed with distant and comparatively strong dentations. The soft 

 tlorsal and anal fins rather high, higher than the spinous dorsal, which is continuous 

 w^ith the soft ; pectoral fins extending beyond, ventrals to, the anal. Dark-brown, 

 pectoral and caudal fins white. 



Three specimens, the largest of which is 35 mm. long, were obtained in the surface- 

 net on the passage from New Guinea to Japan. 



Cubiceps gracilis, Lowe (PI. II. figs. A, B, C). 



A single specimen, 3 inches long, was obtained in the surface-net on the passage 

 between Tenerife and St. Thomas, West Indies. It proves that this .species does not 

 undergo great changes during growth, and that the fish described and figured by 

 Liitken (op. cit.) under the name of Psenes maculcttiis is not the young of the present 

 species. 



Adult Cubiceps must be extremely rare ; no other specimen has occurred, beside 

 the one obtained l)y Sir A. Smith, so that the question of the .specific distinctness of 

 Cubiceps capensis and Cubiceps gracilis is still a matter of uncertainty. 



