DISCUSSION OF SPECIES AND THEIE DISTRIBUTION. 327 



\r.or.l rHITES CRASSUS, < Vaillant), (loom: and Bean. 

 Bythites erassus, Vaillant, Exp. Sci. Travailleur el Talisman, 279, pi. \\v. Pig. 1. 



In genera] form resembling Bythites fuscus. The heighl of (lie body a little more than 

 one-fifth of its length, and its thickness one-ninth; the length of the head isabouttwo 

 elevenths of the length of the body; it is thick, with an in Hated snout. Month moderatelj 

 wide, the maxillary extending slightly beyond the vertical from the posterior limb oJ the 

 orbit. Fine villiforni teeth on tin' two jaws, the palatines and the vomer, and a lew- teeth 

 upon the tongue. Eye small, its diameter about one-eighth the length of the head; inter 

 orbital space much greater, contained about two and three-fourths times in the length of 

 the head. Branchial openings very wide. Branchiostegal membranes free from the isth- 

 mus. Opercula enveloped in thick skin, which obscures their outlines. Opercular spine 

 distinct, strong, flattened; preoperculum probably obtusely denticulated, though hidden 

 in the integument. Scales small, denticulate, extending upon the liases of the vertical fins 

 and even of those of the pectorals, about 156 < .' ) in longitudinal series and 7(1 in vertical 

 series. A lateral line parallel with the back about one-third of the distance from the 

 dorsal to the ventral outline, indistinct posteriorly. 



Origin of dorsal behind base of pectorals: the fin is low, its height hardly one-third 

 that of the body, its base buried in the skin. The anal is similar to the dorsal, and begins 

 immediately behind the vent. The caudal is confluent with the vertical fins. Pectoral 

 short, about half as long as the head: rounded. Yentrals each of two rays, closely united 

 at their base; the length of the inner one exceeds half the height of the body, the outer one 

 three tilths of the same. 



Color, reddish-brown, deeper upon the fins. ( Vaillant.) 



A single specimen was obtained by the French expedition at station cxxxvi, at a 

 depth of 4,255 meters. 



BENTHOCOMETES, Goode and Bean, n. g. 



Brotulids, similar in appearance and structure to Neobythites and Bassogigas, distin- 

 guished by two short, Hat spines upon the anterior portion of the operculum, placed at 

 some distance from each other, and by the absence of spines upon the preoperculum. The 

 lateral line is complete, and extends without interruption to the posterior fourth of the 

 body, where it becomes obsolete. The vomerine teeth are bunched in a circular patch 

 instead of being arranged in triangular form. The head is comparatively short, with the 

 jaws in front nearly equal; the snout not produced, but obtuse, rounded, and almost 

 declivous in its outline. 



Two species have been assigned to this genus — Neobythites robustus, Goode and Bean, 

 and Sirembo murcenolepis, Vaillant. The latter is not, as Vaillant supposed, related to 

 Dvplacanthopoma, which, though it has two spines upon the preoperculum, and is very sim- 

 ilar in general appearand', has the. ventrals single rather than double. 



BENTHOCOMETES ROUCSTITS, (U ::u.<1Bean. (Figure 288.) 



Neobythites robustus, Goode and Dean, Bull. Mua. Comp. Zool., mi. 161. 



Body rather short and deep, its greatest height (16 millimeters) nearly 4' r | in total length 

 and about ecpial to length of head. The interorbitaJ area is convex; its width (6 milli- 

 meters) is greater than the diameter of the circular eye (5 millimeters) and 14 times the 

 Length of snout (4 millimeters). The length of the head (19 millimeters) is about 4 times 

 the diameter of the eye. The mouth is moderate, the maxilla extending to the vertical 

 through the posterior margin of the eye, the mandible a little beyond, its length (10 mil- 

 limeters) equal to that of postorbital part of head. Teeth in villiform bands in the jaws 

 and on the palatines. Vomerine teeth bunched in a circular patch. (Jill rakers moderate, 

 the longest a little more than twice in diameter of eye, 1 above angle of first arch. 1 1 below. 

 Pseudobranchia' rudimentary. Gill-opening wide, the membrane deeply cleft, behind free 

 from the isthmus. A pair of short flat spines upon the anterior portion of the operculum. 



