96 



LYCODIN.B. 



on the other hand, 6); and next, a peciiHarity in the structure of the dorsal and anal fin: along the 

 bases of these fins there is a row of small bony shields, on which the fin-rays are superimposed, one 

 on each plate; these bony plates are especially aiDparent in L. mirahilis. in lesser degree in L. flagel- 

 licauda^ because it is quite a small fish, but one can observe them easily under a lens, especialh" if 

 the skin is allowed to dry a little; Goode & Bean designate these plates as ectodermal scutes or 

 plates , but on dissection the\' pro\-e to be lateral outgrowths of the outer ends of the interspinous 

 rays (or perhaps more correctly of the small bones fused with the outer part of the interspinous rays). 



For the rest, the genera Lycenchelys and Lycodoims agree so far as I can see. Goode S: 

 Bean certainly mentioned another peculiarit\- in the latter, namely: < caudal distinct not fully connect 

 with dorsal and anal , but in the two specimens of L.mirabilis at my disposal the unpaired fins join 

 into one, just as in L. flagellicauda. 



Concerning Lycodomts inirabjlis^ Croode & Bean remark: The first lo or ii scutes do not 

 support rays, but whether ra\s were originalh' present or not cannot be ascertained . In the two 

 specimens at my disposal fin-ra^•s are wanting on the first 9 — 11 plates, and there is no sign that the 

 rays have been torn off, so that it must be a normal condition. In L. flagellicauda (and L. ophidiiim) 

 on the other hand, all the plates bear fin-rays. This difference seems to me indeed of subordinate 

 importance, in any case not so important, that it should prevent the three species being placed within 

 the same genus. 



For the sake of completeness, I add here the most important proportions of 14 Lycodomts 

 flagellicauda which I have investigated (those of 185, 197 and 203 mm. are from the 1902 cruise of the 

 V Michael Sars , the others from the Ingolf Expedition of 1896). 



Total length in mm. 



Length of the head — 



Distance from snont to anns — 



Height over the anus — 



Distance of dorsal fin from the snout . . — 



Distribution. 



The Norwegian North-Atlantic Expedition took 2 specimens W. from Spitzbergen, where 

 the depth was 459 fathoms and bottom-temperature - i"* C. , and a small individual W. from Bear 

 Island, where the depth was 658 fathoms and bottom-temperature— i°2 C. The English Expeditions 

 of 1880 and 1882 with the 'Knight Errant and Triton obtained many specimens in the Fas roe 

 Channel, where the depths were 540 and 608 fathoms, bottom-temperature 29^2 — 30° F.; in the 

 same channel (at 60'-" 19' N.L. 5" 39' W.L.) the ' Michael Sars» in the summer of 1902 took 3 specimens 

 where the depth was 620 fathoms and bottom-temp, under O" C. Further, the Ingolf Expedition took 

 it in 1896 at the following places: 



