284 DEEP-SEA FISHES OF THE ATLANTIC BASIN. 



Tip to the time of the visit of the U. S. Fish Commission to Salem in 1877 this species 

 had been very rarely taken south of Greenland, and that mainly from the stomachs of cod, 

 haddock, halibut, and other fishes. Several specimens were dredged by the Commission at 

 Portland and Eastport, Me. Many specimens were taken in Massachusetts Bay, often a 

 dozen coming up in a single haul of the trawl. 



In 1871 the head of au individual of this species was dredged up on the ''Pecten Ground,'' 

 off Watch Hill, R. I. This was the first instance of its capture south of Cape Cod. 



It was subsequently taken at the following Albatross stations: 2502, in 44° 19' N". lat., 

 G0° 39' 15" W. Ion., at a depth of 54 fathoms; 2491, in 45° 24' 30" K lat., 58° 35' 15" YV. 

 Ion., at a depth of 59 fathoms; 2522, in 42° 20' 1ST. hit., 65° 07' 30" W.lon., at a depth of 101 

 fathoms; and 2450, in 46° 45' N. lat., 50° 02' 30" W. Ion., at a depth of 44 fathoms. 



A specimen, doubtfully assigned to A. Olriki, was taken at station 2450, in 40° 45' N. 

 lat., 50° 02' 30" W. Ion., at a depth of 44 fathoms. 



Family LATILID^E. 



Latiloi&as, Gill, Proc. Acad. Nat. Sci. Phila.. 1801, 514. 



Latilida, Gill, Arr. Fain. Fishes, 1872, 9 (No. 97).— Jordan- and Gilbert, Ball. xvi. II. S. Nat. Mus., 023. 



Acanthopterygians with body more or less elongate, compressed. Scales small, ctenoid. 

 Lateral line present, complete. Head subcorneal, the profile usually convex; suborbital 

 without bony stay; cranial bones not cavernous; opercular bones armed or not. Mouth 

 moderate, terminal. Teeth rather strong. Premaxillary (usually) with posterior canine, 

 protractile; maxillary without supplemental bone, not slipping under edge of preorbital. 

 Gill-membranes often adherent to the isthmus. Dorsal tin long and low, usually continu- 

 ous, the spinous portion much shorter than the soft. Anal fin elongate, with spines few 

 and feeble. Caudal fin forked; tail diphycercal. Ventrals thoracic or subjugular, perfect. 

 Pectoral fins normal. Vertebra', 35-50. 



LOPHOL.ATIL.US, Goode and Bean. 

 Lopholatilus, Goode and Bean, Proc. 17. S. Nat. Mus., 1879, 205 (type, Lopholatilus tfiamceleonticeps, G. & B.). 



Dorsal and anal rays few in number. A large adipose appendage on the nape and a 

 fleshy prolongation upon each side of the labial fold, extending backward beyond the angle of 

 the mouth. 



LOPHOLATILUS CIIAM.ELEONTICEPS, Goode and Bean. (Figure 205.) 



The Tile Fish. 



Lopholatilus chamaleonticeps, Goode and Bean, Proc. U. S. Nat. Mus.. n, 1879, 205. — Goode, Proc. U. S. Nat. 

 Mus., in, 337. 482. — Jordan and Gilbert, Bull, xvi, U. S. Nat. Mus., 624.— C'oi.lixs, Rep. U. S. Fish Comin., 

 1882 (1884), 237-292.— Lucas, Rep. U. S. Nat. Mus. (Smithsonian Report), 1889, 647, with colored plate. 



A Lopholatilus having a stout, somewhat compressed body, with its height contained 

 3J times in its length (without caudal), and the length of its head 3 times. 



Maxillary reaching anterior margin of orbit; opercle and preopercle scaly, the latter 

 finely denticulate; upper jaw with an outer series of stronger teeth, behind which is a band 

 of villiform teeth; lower jaw with a few large canines and an inner series of small conical 

 teeth; vomer and palatines toothless. 



Radial formula: D. vn, 15; A. n, 13; scales 8-93-30. 



Detailed description. — The greatest height of the body (.306), which is at the ventrals, 

 is contained about 3 ; V times in the length to the origin of the middle caudal rays, and 4 times 

 in the extreme length. Its greatest width (.144) equals the length of the caudal peduncle 

 (.144) ; this latter being measured from the end of the soft dorsal to the origin of the middle 

 caudal rays. The least height of the tail (.0807) is contained 4 times in the distance of the 

 spinous dorsal from the snout. 



The greatest length of the head (.33) is contained 3 times in the length to the origin of 

 the middle caudal rays. Its greatest width (.165) is slightly more than twice the width of 

 the iuterorbital area (.08). The length of the snout (.122) is contained twice in the length 



