168 BULLETIN OF THE 



Anal origin about under origin of second dorsal, a trifle farther back, and in 

 the vertical through the space between the seventh and eighth lateral scutes. 

 The fin has 17 rays. It is about as high as the dorsal. 



Caudal small, slightly eniarginate, with tips slightly produced, the length 

 of the middle rays (18 mm.) equal to that of the dorsal. 



Ventral origin in advance of the axil of the pectorals ; the fin extends slightly 

 beyond the vent, but not quite to the origin of the anal ; its length (35 mm.) 

 about twice the length of the dorsal. 



Pectoral father long, extending to the ninth scute of the lateral line, and 

 past the vertical through tlft origin of the anal. Twenty-nine rows of scutes. 



Color red. Body and fins mottled and blotched with darker. 



BENTHOSAURUS, n. gen., Synodontid. 



Body long, somewhat compressed, tapering into a slender elongate caudal 

 peduncle. Scales cycloid, of moderate size. Head slightly depressed ; cleft 

 of mouth wide, horizontal, the lower jaw projecting at its extremity and 

 anteriorly at the sides. The maxilla is long, not stout, dilated posteriorly ; 

 the intermaxillary very long, styliform, tapering, immovable. The inter- 

 maxillary and mandible with bands of small teeth, of uniform size, inter- 

 rupted at the symphysis. A short oblong band of similar teeth on each 

 side of the vomer, separated by a rather wide interspace. Palate and tongue 

 smooth. Eye very small, inconspicuous. Gill-opening extremely wide, the 

 branchiostegal membrane free from the isthmus. Gill-rakers long and slender, 

 numerous, about twice as many below the angle as above. Pseudobranchiae 

 absent. Branchiostegals eleven. All the fins well developed ; no adipose 

 dorsal. Dorsal fin median, anal post-median. Caudal forked, with lower 

 lobe produced. Ventral seven-rayed, inserted opposite the interspace between 

 pectoral and dorsal, the outer ray produced. 



Benthosaunis is closely allied to Bathysaurus and Bathypterois, resembling 

 the latter in nearly every particular save in the structure of the pectoral fins. 



Benthosaurus grallator, n. sp. 



V 



Body elongate, somewhat compressed, depressed slightly forward, tapering 

 behind into a long slender tail; its greatest height contained 7^ times in its 

 standard length, and equalling half the length of the head, its greatest width 

 ^ the length of the head ; its height at the origin of the anal, | of its greatest 

 height. Least height of tail half the height of the body at the ventrals. 

 Length of caudal peduncle 6^ times its least height. 



Scales very thin, cycloid, leathery, deciduous ; oval in form, except at the 

 base of the dorsal and anal fins, where they become more elongate ; the hori- 

 zontal diameter of a scale in the lateral line equals twice the diameter of the 

 eye. The lateral line is straight, above the median line anteriorly, becoming 



