DISCUSSION OF SPECIES AND THEIR DISTEIBUTION. 331 



Eleven specimens wore taken by the Freucb expedition at station ci, oif the Cape 

 Verde Islands, at a deptli of 3,200 meters. They were evidently spawning, for red eggs were 

 protruding from the abdomen. 



MCEBIA, Goode and Bean, n. g. 



Brotulids resemblinjj Baasozefua in general form, excepting tliat the tail is prolonged in 

 a very slender filament, the dorsal and anal rays being extremely short posteriorly, but 

 positively courtaent with the caudal rays, which are much longer and much exserted. Ven- 

 rals each bifid, instead of a single ray as in Bassozrtiis. Head very cavernons, the sinuses 

 large and conspicuous on the infraorbital ring, on the mandible, and the preoperculum. A 

 single, short, feeble spine on the shoulder, but none upon the operculum or preoperculum, 

 though certain projections seem to show above the eye, doubtless due to the shrinkage of 

 the integument upon the underlying projections of bone. Mouth very wide, the extremity 

 of the maxillary much dilated. Posterior nostrils very wide, and separated from the eye 

 by a small, spinous projection of bone. Teeth in narrow bands, that on the vomer V-shaped 

 with the two arms straight. A few very large scales in a row starting from the upper 

 angle of the gill-opening and terminating over the axil of the pectoral. Gill-rakers on 

 outer arch rather numerous, long and slender. Pseudobranchi;T3 represented by two minute 

 globules. 



This genus is founded upon Bathi/ iiccf.es (jraciUs of Griinther (Ann. and Mag. Nat. Hist. 

 1878, II, 21; Challenger Report, xxii, 112, pi. xvi, tig. 1>), provisionally referred byCiiuther 

 to our genus Porogadus. 



It is named in honor of Prof. Karl Mrebius, Director of the Royal Zoological Museum in 

 Berlin, who has addeil much to our knowledge of marine life l)y his noble work Die Fauna 

 der Kielerhiicht, and by numerous other writings. 



It is l)ut right to say that at the time its reference was made, no figure of Forogafhis 

 had been published, and some of the most salient characters, which we tried to bring out 

 prominently in our generic diagnosis, seem not to have been sufficiently emphasized, so 

 that both Dr. Giinther and Dr. Vaillant were misled as to the real affinities of our species 

 Forogadm miles, the type of tiie genus. 



Moehia gracilis was obtained by the Challenger at station ISl, south of New Guinea, 

 at a depth of 1,400 fathoms. 



BARATHRODEIVIUS, Goode and Bean. 



Barathrodemus, Goode and 15ra>j, fiult. Mus. Comp. ZodI., x, 1883, 200.— Jokdan, Cat. Fish. N. Amor., 1885, 

 127. — GiJNTHER, Challenger Report, xxii, 1887, 99. 



Brotulids with body much compressed, elevated; head considerably compressed, with 

 montli moderate (in the type species (extending to the vertical through the middle of the 

 eye). Eye moderate. Head spineless, except a short flattened spine at the upper angle 

 of the operculum. Snout long, projecting far beyond the tip of the upper jaw, its extrem- 

 ity much swollen. .laws nearly efpial in front. Teeth minute, in villiform bands on jaws, 

 vomer, and palatines. Barbel, none. Anterior pair of nostrils ojjcn and situated at the 

 outer angles of the dilated snout, circular, each surrounded with a cluster of mucous tubes. 

 Posterior nostrils near anterior upper margin of orbit. Gill oi)euings wide, membranes 

 not united. (Hlls 1, with a slit hi^hiiid the fourth; gill laminai moderate in length, (rill- 

 rakers also moderate; not numerous. Pseudobranchi;e absent; caudal tin not connate, 

 but without distinct peduncle. 



Dorsal and anal fins long. Branchiostegals, S. Body and head covered with small, 

 thin scales, tiiose on the body scarcely imbricated. Lateral line absent. Ventrals a pair 

 of bifid rays close together, on the isthmus. 



