232 DEEP-SEA FISHES OF THE ATLANTIC BASIN. 



the second anal spine at least twice as long as tbe first. Caudal deeply furcate, scaled 

 upon the lower portions of the lobes. 



Distance of pectoral from snout equal to length of head; its length equal to that of the 

 maxilla. 



Distance of ventral from snout slightly greater than one-third of the standard body 

 length. 



Radial formula: D. VII, 1, 9; A. II, 8; P. 16; V. I, 5. 



Scales in lateral line, 45; above lateral line, 3; below. 0. 



Color nearly uniform light, reddish brown, with no blotches. Scales finely punctulate 

 with black. 



Our description is based upon Museum specimen No. 26228, taken by the Fish Hawk from 

 station 897, in 37° 25' N. lat., 74° 18' W. Ion., at a depth of 157£ fathoms. Examples 

 were also obtained by the Albatross from station 2376, in 29° 13' 15" N. lat, 88° 16' W. 

 Ion., at a depth of 324 fathoms; and from station 2398, in 28° 45' N. lat., 86° 26' W. Ion., 

 at a depth of 227 fathoms. 



MALACICHTHYS, Doderlein. 



Malakichthys, DSderleix, Penkschr. d. k. Akad. d. Wiss. Wien. xi.vn, 1NXM, 210 (type, .1/. griseus, Inc. cit., 

 pi. II, fig. 1). — GiNTHER, Challenger Report, XXII, 1887, 15. 



Form of the body oval, similar to Ambassis. The two dorsals united by a low mem- 

 brane; anal with 3 spines. Preoperculum denticulated; operculum with 2 feeble points. 

 Bones of the head very thin, cavernous; eye large. Very narrow bands of villiform teeth 

 in the jaws, on the vomer and palatine bones, without canines. Head nearly entirely scaly. 

 Mouth wide, oblique, with projecting mandible. Scales of moderate size, ctenoid, deciduous. 

 Seven branchiostegals; pseudobranchise. Lateral line complete; Pyloric appendages in 

 small number (4). Air bladder small. Abdominal cavity and pharynx black. (Giinther.) 



The type species Malacichthys griseus is represented by several specimens taken near 

 Tokio, Japan, and said by Doderlein to be obtained at great depths. 



EPIGONUS, Rafinesque. 



Ejngonvs, Rafinesque, Appendice, 64. 



Pomatomus, Risso, Iehthyologie de Nice. 1810, 301; Hist. Nat. Europe Me"ridionale, III, 387. — Cuvier and 



Valenciennes, Hist. Nat. Poiss., ii, 171.— GCnther, Cat. Fish. Brit. Mus., i, 249. — Moreau, Hist. Nat. 



Poiss., France, II, 385. 



Chilodipterids with the body elongate, thick, covered with large, deciduous scales. 

 Head large, entirely covered with scales. No keels. Operculum with 2 feeble points. 

 Preoperculum with prominent, rounded and striated angle, but with its posterior limb 

 emarginate. Eyes very large. Teeth villiform. No teeth on the palatines. Two dorsal 

 fins, separated by an interspace; the first with 7 spines. Anal with 2 spines. The fins 

 more or less scaly. Pyloric creea numerous. 



The name Pomatomus is preoccupied, having been applied by Lacepede to a fish 

 usually known to European ichthyologists as Temnodon. 



EPIGONUS TELESCOPUS, (Risso), Goode and Bean. 



Pomatomus telescopus, Risso, Ichthyologie, 1810, 301, PI. ix, fig. 31; Hist. Nat. Europe Meridionale, 387.— 



Lowe, Trans. Zool. Soe., n, 173. — Bonaparte, Cat. Metodico, No. 488. 

 Pomatomus telescopium, Cuvies and Valenciennes, Joe. cit., n, 171. PI. xxiv; vi. 495. — Cdvier, Regne 



Animal, Illustne. PI. vn, a. fig. 1. — (iuiCHENOT, Explor. Alger. Poiss., 32. — Valenciennes, m Webb and 



Berthelot, Hist. Nat. lies Canaries. IchthyoL, pi. I. — GCnther, Cat. Fish. Brit. Mus., I, 250. — Canes- 



trini, Fauna Italiea, 179. — Moreau, Hist. Nat. Poiss. France, n, 386. 

 Pomatomus Curieri, Cocco, Giorn. Sci. de Sicilia. vn, 1829, 143, figure. 



The fish described in 1810 by Eisso was said to be so rare that during thirty years 

 previous only two specimens had been taken. "This rarity,'' says Eisso, "is due to the 

 fact that it never leaves those cold submarine valleys where our fishermen can only set 

 their long lines in the month of August, so that they are never taken except by chance." 



