DISCUSSION OF SPECIES AND THEIR DISTRIBUTION. 



223 



LAMPRIS, Retzius. 



Lampris, Retzius, Nya Handlnng, in, 1799, 91. — Cuvxbr, Rfegne Animal, 1st ed., L817, 325. — G1 other, 



Cat. Fish. Brit. Mus., n, p. 1 1 r. . — .Ihbdax and Gilbert, Hull. xvi, U. S. Nat. Mus., 45;j. 

 ( hryaotosns, Lai 6pJ D] , Hist. Nat. Poiss., [V, 586. 



Hotly compressed ami elevated, covered with very small deciduous, cycloid scales. 

 Mouth narrow, terminal, with no teeth. Dorsal single, very long, elevated, falcate, without 

 distinct spines; anal long, low, not falcate, both fins depressed in a groove. Ventrals 

 behind pectorals ( II to 17 rays), pectorals large, falcate; caudal tin moderately forked. 

 Lateral line present, much arched in front. Branchiostegals, 0. <HI1 membranes free from 

 the isthmus. (Esophagus not armed with spinous teeth. Air bladder large, bifurcate 

 behind. Pyloric appendages very numerous. Vertebrae 45. 



LAMPRIS REGIUS, (Bonnaterre), Retz. 



Zeus regius, Bonnaterre, Ichthyologie, ITss, p. 72, pi. \x\i.\, fig. 155. 



Zeus gutiatut, BrOsnich, Dansk. Selsk. Skr., in, ITss. :;;i.s. 



Zeus Inn, i, Gmelin, Syst. Nat., 1788, 1225. 



Lampris lima, GCNTHER, op. 'it., n, 116.— Crv. ami Vai... op. ,11., x, 39. 



Lampris lauta, Lowe, Fish. Madeira, 27. 



Lampris regius. 



Longest dorsal ray shorter than pectorals, which are nearly as long as the head. Anal 

 very low in front, a little higher behind. Head, 3^; depth, If. 



Radial formula: D. 54; A. 40; V. 14-17; Vert, 23+22; L. 3-4 feet. 



Color, a rich brocade of silver and lilac, rosy on the belly; everywhere with round 

 silvery spots; head, opercles, and back with ultramarine tints, jaws and fins vermillion; 

 flesh red. 



This form, exceedingly rare in the Mediterranean, has occasionally during the last century 

 been found along the coasts of Europe as far north as Norway, also about Madeira and 

 Iceland; it hail been reported from off Newfoundland, Nova Scotia (?), and Maine; no 

 specimen from the Atlantic had been in the possession of any American museum, when a 

 specimen was taken by schooner Mildred V. Lee, Capt. William T. Lee, off Le Have ridges, 

 between 62° and 03" Ion. \V., 42° and 49° lat. N. 



A specimen from Japan in the U. S. National Museum is apparently of the same 

 species. We are not aware that this has hitherto been recorded from the Pacific. There 

 is every reason to believe that the fish is at times an inhabitant of considerable depths. 



