DISCUSSION OP SPECIES AND THEIE DISTRIBUTION. 321 



Origin of dorsal over the middle of pectoral; that of the anal immediately behind the 

 vein. The anal (ins arc low. The pectoral is composed of L3 rays,halfas Long as the head, 

 lanceolate, tin- two lower rays detached without being inure developed than the others. 

 Ventrals still smaller i perhaps mutilated in the specimen figured 1 >y Yaillant ). 



Color white, except bluish-black upon the head and abdomen, and the pectorals a deep 

 brown. 



Three specimens were obtained by the French Expedition at station ci, off the Cape 

 Verde Islands, at a depth of 3,200 meters. The fish is very remarkable by reason of the 

 smallness of its e.vcs and the peculiar character of the scales. 



DICROMITA ONCEKOCEPHALA, < Vaii.i.am i, Goode and Bean. 

 Sin mho onet rocephalut, Vaili.axt, Exp. Soi. Travailleui et Talisman, -77, PI. xxiv, Fig. <>. 



Body elongate, compressed, its height one-ninth and its thickness one-third of its 

 length. Length of the head two elevenths of the length of the body; it is rounded. Snout 

 hemispherical, occupying three-elevenths of the length of the head and projecting beyond 

 the mouth. Mouth moderate, although the maxillary extends behind the eye; the mouth 

 does not extend to the middle of the length of the head. The two jaws, the vomer, and 

 the palatines are armed with line teeth in villiform bands. Bye small, inconspicuous, hid- 

 den in the integuments, its diameter one-fifteenth of the length of the head; interorbital 

 space live times as wide as the diameter of the orbit. Branchial opening wide. The bones 

 composing the opercular tlap are hidden in the mucous integument which covers the head, 

 and indistinct; only one flexible spine can be seen on the operculum. A few scales upon 

 the vertex, and more upon the jaws and opercular flap. Vent at a third of the distance 

 from the snout to the tail, and separated from the origin of the ventrals by a distance a 

 liltle greater than the length of the head. Scales very minute, imbricated; no lateral line 

 is perceptible. 



The origin of the dorsal is a little in advance of the branchial opening; the anal im- 

 mediately behind the vent, both quite high posteriorly, their height nearly half that of the 

 body. Caudal rays prominent (Vaillant says "assez distincte," but the figure shows the 

 vertical tins to be continent). Pectorals short, a little more than half as long as the head, 

 composed of L'l rays. Ventrals as long as the pectoral. 



Color, pure white ; head entirely bluish-black, as is also the abdomen, though not so 

 dark. 



A single specimen was obtained by the French explorers from station ci, off the Cape 

 Verde Islands, in 3,200 meters. 



Bathyonus glutinosus, Alcock, Ann. and Mag. Nat. Hist., Sept., 1890, 210, from off the 

 Madras coast, 98-101' fathoms, is possibly of this genus. 



BASSOZETUS, Gill. 



Bathyneetes, GCnthek, Ann. and Mag. Nat. Hist., n, 1878,20; Challenger Report, x\n, iss7, 1(19 (nanio pre- 



occupied in carcinology). 

 £<i8soc<7«8, Cii.l, Proc. U. S. Nat. Mas., VI, 1883, 259. 

 Bathyonus, Goode ami Bean. Proc. U. S. Nal. Mas., vin, 1886, 603. 



Brotulids with body compressed and long tapering tail, covered with deciduous, thin 

 scales of moderate size. Bones of head very soft and cavernous; a feeble spine at upper 

 angle of operculum, which is expanded backwards, a thin membranous plate, nearly as 

 long as high and not at all excavated. Preorbital membranous, not excavated, ami ex 

 panded on the closed supramaxillaries. Operculum spineless. Shoulders unarmed. Snout 

 obtuse, scaleless; the jaws uearly equal in front. Mouth wide: teeth in villiform bands on 

 the jaws, vomer, and palatines. Barbel none. Eyes small. Pectoral fins simple; caudal 

 rays confluent with those of dorsal and anal, but somewhat exser ted. Ventrals close to- 

 gether at base, each a single simple filament, and inserted below the rounded angle of the 

 prcoperculum. 



1<J8GS— No. 2 21 



