350 DEEP-SEA FISHES OF THE ATLANTIC BASIN. 



of the head. The opercular bones are somewhat striated. Tlie hiteral line extends from 

 the crest to the caudal, describing' a downward curve in trout of tlie gill opening. The 

 dt>rsal begius upon the top of the head and iu advance of the eye.s, and terminates near the 

 caudal, and contains more than 200 rays; the fins are very short and very far back. The 

 caudal is very small. The pectorals are moderate, jilaced near the lower outline of tlic 

 body. Ventrals minute. 



IJadial formula: U, 230; A. 17; C. 17; P. 15; V. i, 5. 



Color silvery gray, with rounded sjwts of silver,which arc brighter than the body itself; 

 fins a brilliant rose color. 



This species was first described by Prof. Giorna, who brought it before the Acad- 

 emy of Turin in 1803. His description was not comi)lete, but Cuvier iu 1S13 received one 

 from the Gulf of Genoa, and published a most exact description of it in the Annals of the 

 Paris Academy of Sciences, accompanied by a drawing by Laurillard, of which a facsimile 

 is here presented. Tlie measurements of this specimen were as follows : 



Motors. 



Total length 1. 34 



Height (if liody 18 



Length of head 17 



Height of body at branchial opening 185 



Height of body at base of nuchal spine 205 



Specimens have since been taken in various parts of the Mediterranean. The Florence 

 Museum has a beautiful specimen, taken at or near Elba Island iu 1818. Prof. Giglioli has 

 also seen individuals from Nice, Genoa, and Palermo. 



LOPHOTES CEISTATUS, Johnson. 

 Lophotes cHslatus, Johnson, Proc. Zool. Soc., 1863, 38. 



A Lophotes with elongate, compressed, blade-like body, its height contained 5:J^ times 

 in its length, its thickness over 30 times. The line of the unarmed belly is nearly straight. 

 The back curves upwards slightly for the first third of the length of tlie fish and then slopes 

 gently to the tail. The body clothed with small scales, which are buried iu the skin and 

 set obliquely so as to give a reticulate appearance. Scales large and very delicate. 



liadial formula: D. ca. 255; A. 19; P. 13; C. 15; V. 5. 



Color, uuiform silvery gray, without spots. 



This species was obtained by Mr. J. Y. Johnson in Madeira, and described by him in 

 1863. The characters i>ointed out by him seem to indicate that it is specifically distin- 

 guished from L. Cepedianns, but the material available for study has beeu so slight that no 

 definite conclusion can now be reached. Since no figure of this species has beeu i)ublished, 

 tlie complete descrijitiou is here iududed : 



The head is short and unarmed ; it bears a high fleshy crest, the horizontal line of which 

 is straight with the back. This crest carries the anterior portion of the dtusal tin, and it 

 projects at an acute angle beyond the vertical of tlie snout. At the angle rises a single 

 bony ray, which is equal in length to one-fourth of the total length of the fish. A fringe 

 of red membrane connects it with the dorsal fin, of which it ajipears to be the first ray. 

 The edges of the gill covers are simple, the bones radiate-striate. The rmind eye is large, 

 its diameter being contained 3 times in the head; the iris is silvery wliite, the pnyiW oval. 

 Tlie s])ace intervening between it and the front of the head above the jaw is nmcli less than 

 a. diameter; Init the space between the edge of the capital crest and the sni>eii<n- part of 

 the head is consideral)ly more than a diameter. The space between tlic eye and tlie snout 

 is reddish and scaleless. The iinrnth is (ibli(]ue and rather small; tlu' rictus alxnit two- 

 tliiids the diameter of the eye, and its width almost equal to a diameter. There arc about 

 I rows of small, conical-pointed teeth, which curve backwards at the front of the premax- 

 iilary; and about 2 rows of similar teeth at the sides of the lower jaw, whilst in Iroiit they 

 are crowded 4 or 5 deej). Small teeth, very few in number, arc planted on the vomer and 

 on the anterior extremities of the palatine hones; but there are noue on the tongue. Inside 

 the mouth, above and below, there is stretched a black membrane from side to side. The 

 maxillary is toothless and is much dilated below. It covers the premaxillary at the sides, 

 and reaches back to the vertical througli the middle of the eye. 



