DISCUSSION OF SPECIES AND THEIR DISTRIBUTION. 407 



The Albatross obtained specimens from the following localities: Station 2405, in 28° 

 l.v N. lai., 85 02' W. Ion., at a depth of30 fathoms; station 2400, in 28 U' N. hit., 86° 07' 

 W. Ion., at a depth of L69 fathoms; and station 2388, in 29 24' 30" N. Iat., 88 01' W. Ion., 

 at a depth of 35 fathoms. 



PRIONOTUS AI, ATI's, GOODB and Bean. (Figure 382.) 

 Prionotua alattis, Goode and Ukan, Boll. Mas. Coinji. Zoiil., x, 1883, 210. 



A Prionof/us with the body normal in form, rather robust; its greatest height « -< 1 1 1 : 1 1 



to one -fourth its length without caudal, and nearly equal to one- fifth of the total length; 

 its greatest width one-fifth of its greatest length without caudal; the least height of tail 

 contained 12 times, or nearly so, in the standard body length, and ;J times in the height of 

 the body. 



Scales small and much pectinate, there being in the lateral line about one hundred 

 vertical rows of scales, about 51) of which are tube bearing and specialized. The number 

 of rows, counting diagonally around the body from the origin of the anal, is L'l below 

 and 7 above the lateral line. The length of the head to the tip of the preopercular 

 spine is contained -i times iu the standard body length, and very little more than .'» 

 times in the total length. The width of the head is equal to its height. The upper limb of 

 the orbit encroaches upon the upper profile of the head, and the center of the pupil is equi- 

 distant from the tii> of the snout and the tip of the prolonged preopercular spine. The 

 length of the snout measured obliquely from the anterior margin of the orbit, is equal to 

 that of the postorbital portion of the head to the end of the opercular spine. At the lower 

 angle of the preoperculum is a robust spine, curving slightly upwards, the length of which 

 is equal to that of the first dorsal ray. This spine is serrated upon its outer edge, and has 

 a small spine at its base, which is also serrated. The tip of the spine extends to the per- 

 pendicular from the center of the interspace between the third and fourth dorsal spines; 

 while that of the humeral spine extends to the perpendicular from the interspace between 

 the fourth and fifth, and that of the opercular to the perpendicular from the center of the 

 base of the third. There is a strong scapular spine, which extends back to the posterior 

 edge of the second dorsal spine. 



The leng th of the upper jaw is equal to one-third that of the head. The palatine teeth 

 are in short feeble bands, hardly perceptible even with a strong magnifying glass. Gill 

 rakers, (i iu number, besides several rudimentary ones, 5 being below the angle, and the 

 longest equal in length to one third the diameter of the eye. 



The first dorsal fin is inserted above the tip of the upper opercular spine, and at a dis- 

 tance from the snout equal to twice the length of the fourth dorsal spine. The height of 

 the first dorsal spine, which is equal to that of the third, and slightly less than that of the 

 second, equals half the length of the head. Its anterior margin is strongly serrated, while 

 those of the second and thinl spines are less markedly so. The length of base of first dor- 

 sal equals the greatest height of body; the distance between its insertion and that of the 

 second dorsal fin is equal to the length of the longest and superior detached pectoral ray. 

 The second dorsal fin is inserted in the perpendicular over the interspace between the sec- 

 ond and third anal rays; the length of its longest ray equals twice the least height of tail, 

 and the length of its base equals the greatest length of the ventral rays. Its first ray is 

 conspicuously serrated on its anterior edge. 



The insertion of the anal tin is in the perpendicular below the end of the first dorsal 

 fin: the length of its longest ray is equal to half that of the middle caudal rays. 



The caudal is truncated, very slightly emarginate. 



The pectoral is very peculiar in structure, its longest ray, the ninth, reaching to the 

 base of the caudal rays, and equal in length to four times that of the fourth dorsal spine. 

 The tenth ray is a little bit shorter, extending nearly to the end of the soft dorsal. The 

 eleventh, twelfth, and thirteenth rays are graduated, decreasing in regular proportion, the 

 thirteenth being less than one fourth as long as the tenth. The eighth is about midway 

 between the tenth and eleventh; the first is slightly longer than the twelfth and those inter- 



