DISCUSSION OF SPECIES AND THEIR DISTRIBUTION. 32o 



The type species, /'. trichiurus^ Aicock, is represented by a specimen 7 inches long, 

 with the cud of the Mil missing, obtained by the Investigator at station 104, at a depth of 

 1,000 fathoms. 



Another species. />. melanocephalus, was obtained from station 111, 1,644 fathoms, 

 and station 117, 1,748 fathoms, mature females aboul 8 inches long. [Aicock, Ann. ami 

 Mag. Nat. Hist., 1891 (.July), 32.] 



NEOBYTHITES Goode and Bean. 



Tetranematopua, GOnther, Ms. 



Veobythites, Goode and Bean, Proc. V. s. Nat. Mas., vm, 1885, (100. — GOnther, Challenger Report, xxn. 

 lssT. 100. — Vaim.avi, Exp, Sci. Travailleur et Talisman, 282, (discussion under llylhites crassua). 



Brotulids having the body elongate, compressed, covered, with small scales, and the 



head also scaled. Lateral line incomplete, obsolete posteriorly. Eye i lerate. Snout 



moderate, rounded, slightly produced, the lower jaw slightly included. No barbel. Teeth 

 villiform, in narrow bands in jaws and palatines. Vomerine teeth in V-shaped patch. 

 Two weak spines at angle of preoperculum, and a stronger one at the angle of the opercu- 

 lum. Gill-openings wide, the membranes deeply cleft and not attached to the isthmus. 

 Vertical tins united. Ventrals reduced each to a bifid ray. Branchiostegals, 8. Pseudo- 

 branchiae present, but small. Air-bladder present. Type, Weobythites Gillii. 



NFOHYTIIITES GILLII, Goode and I'.f.an. ( Figure 289.) 



Neobythites Gillii, Goode and Bean, Proc. I '. S.Nat. Mus., vm, 1885, 601. — (;i ntiiki:. Challenger Report, 



xxn. 1887, I"-. 

 Neobythites ocellatua, G(Jnther, loc. cit. and PL xxi, Fig. li. 



Body compressed, its height (17 millimeters) contained 4§ times in total length, and 



less than length of head. Iuterovbital area convex, its width (5 millimeters) equal to diam- 

 eter of circular eye, 3| in length of head and 1A in length of snout in young. 



Head compressed, deeper than broad, with wide sinuses, its length (18 millimeters) 

 contained 4A times in that of body; snout obtusely rounded, slightly produced. Mouth 

 large, the maxillary extending considerably behind the vertical through posterior margin 

 of eye, expanded posteriorly; the mandible still longer, its length (11 millimeters) about 

 2A, times in the height of the body. Luterorbital space convex. Teeth in villiform bands 

 in the jaws and on the palatines. Vomerine patch subcircular, with angles extended 

 posteriorly. 



Gill-rakers moderately long and slender, somewhat numerous, the longest about two- 

 thirds the diameter of the eye; eleven developed and three rudiments below the angle. 

 Pseudobranchise absent. Gill opening wide, the membrane deeply cleft, free from the 

 isthmus behind. 



A single long, flat spine attached to the posterior portion of the operculum, high up, 

 extending back along to its edge; a small hidden spine at lower angle of preoperculum. 



Nostrils small, the anterior one in a very short tube, almost upon the tip of the snout : 

 posterior nostril slightly larger, not tubular, immediately in front of middle of eye. 



Scales moderate, upon head and on body, in 88 vertical rows, 7 rows between dorsal 

 origin and lateral line, which becomes obsolete in its posterior half; 10 or 17 from vent 

 forward to lateral line. 



Dorsal origin behind that of ventral and pectoral. Its distance from snout (l'l milli- 

 meters) contained Mimes in total length. Its rays moderately long. Anal origin under 

 the eighteenth dorsal ray; its distance from snout (34 millimeters) contained 2£ times in 

 body length. Kays rather slenderer than those in the dorsal. The caudal rays arc (I or 7 

 in number, their length (!i millimeters) contained '.» times in total length. They are not 

 differentiated from those of the adjacent fins. Pectoral origin well forward, its base some- 

 what concealed by the flap of the operculum; its length (13 millimeters) about equal to 

 two thirds that of head. Ventrals each a bifid ray, the inner filament the longer, inserted 

 slightly in advance of the base of the pectoral and not far from humeral symphysis, and 



