DISCUSSION OP SPECIES AND THEIK DISTRIBUTION. 411 



gill opening. That on tbe colored side is composed <>i n rays, its length (19 millimeters] 

 nearly one-sixth of the total length; lli;it of the blind side composed «>t* 7 or 8 rays, the 

 largest (28 millimeters), almost as long as head. 



Radial formula: D. 93; A. 7.!: P. 11. 7 or 8; V. 6; I., hit. fit',. 

 Color, lighl 1 now 1 1 is] i gray, a dark blotch as 1mm' ;|n the eye on the anterior rays of i In- 

 anal; a few obscure ones on different parts of lighter hue at the junction of the curved and 

 straight portions of the lateral line. 



PLATOPHRYS, Swainson. 



Platophrya, Swainson., Nat. Hist. Fishes, etc., 1839, u, 302. 



Rhomboidichlhya, Bleekeb, Art. Soo. Sc. [ado Nedere. i Maaad. and Makass., c,7. — 60NTHKR, Cat. Fish Brit. 

 Mas., iv, 131. 



Mouth of moderate width, or small, the length of t he maxillary being one- third, or less 

 than one-third, of that of the head. Teeth minute, of equal size, in a single or double se 

 ries; vomerine and palatine teeth none. Eyes separated by a concave more or less broad 

 space. The dorsal commences on the snout; dorsal and anal rays simple. Scales ciliated. 

 of moderate size (L. lat. 40) and deciduous; lateral line with a strong curve anteriorly. 

 Eyes on the left side. (Qiinther.) 



PLATOPHRYS NEBULARIS, Jordan and Gilbert. 



Platophrya nebularia, Jordan and Gilbert, Proo. U. S. Nat. Mus., vn, 31, June 3, 1884. 



Body ovate, deep anteriorly, the profile descending steeply, rendered abruptly concave 

 in front of interorbital space by the conspicuously projecting, short snout. Mouth very 

 small and oblique, the maxillary reaching vertical from front of lower eye, 3| in head; tip 

 of lower jaw entering the profile. Teeth tine, conical, in two series in the upper jaw, one 

 in the lower; those of the outer row in upper jaw larger and more widely separated than 

 those of the inner series. 



Snout very short, about one-fifth head, equaling interorbital width. Interorbital space 

 narrow, deeply concave, closely scaled. Eyes large, the lower in advance of upper, its 

 diameter 3§ in head. Gill rakers obsolete, 7 rudiments on horizontal branch of anterior 

 arch. 



Scales moderate, not extending on the tins, those on colored side ctenoid, those on 

 blind side smooth. Arch of lateral line short and high, its base contained 4A to 5 times in 

 the straight portion. 



Dorsal beginning opposite anterior nostril, the rays nearly uniform in length, the long- 

 est about half head. Pectoral of colored side 4f in length. Ventral of colored side 

 beginning under middle of lower eye. with <> rays; the right ventral with 5 rays. 



Head 4 in length; depth li. 



Radial formula: I >. 85; A. 64; L. lat. To (pores). 



Color, in life, light grayish with reddish tinge, covered with small round spots of darker 

 gray and with lighter rings inclosing spaces of the ground color. Vertical tins similarly 

 colored, with a small black spot near base of each ninth or tenth ray. Two black spots on 

 median line of body divide the length into nearly equal thirds; some other small black 

 spots scattered over colored side. [Jordan and Gilbert.) 



The specimens before us agree in all particulars with Jordan and Gilbert's description, 

 save in trifling variations in number of tin rays and in the fad that in large specimens the 

 dilations of the scales are absent. In three specimens of medium size, the lirst ray of the 

 pectoral of the colored side is elongated, in one considerably so. 



Specimens were taken by the Blake from station CCXLIII, in 21 I.".' N. lat., 83 25 W. 

 Ion., at a depth of :\1 fathoms; also by the Albatross from station 2318, in 24 25' is N. 

 lat.. 81 hi' W. Ion., at a depth of 45 fathoms; from station 2405, in 28 45' N. lat.. 85° 02' 

 W. Ion., at a depth of 30 fathoms; from station 2406, in 28° 46' N. lat., 84° 49' W. Ion., at 



