DISCUSSION OF SPECIES AND THEIR DISTRIBUTION. 101 



reiliicetl aiul unefourtli length of head. Cleft of mouth exceedingly wide, oblique. Maxil- 

 lary somewhat dilated, but not covering any considerable portion of the cheek, and its tip 

 separated from the angle of the operculum by a distance greater than the diameter of the 

 eye. Tlie teeth upon the interinaxillaries are moderate in size; upon the maxillaries and 

 the mandible larger, conical, separated by moderate intervals, which are filled with smaller 

 teeth. Teeth also on palatines, pterygoids, and pharyngeals. Opercular bones very thin. 



The origin of the dorsal and anal tins o])posite, immediately behind the vent; the latter 

 is more than twice as long as the former and reaches nearly to the tail, which is forked. A 

 small adipose dorsal fin at a distance from the dorsal equal to the length of the base of the 

 latter, and about the same distance from the anal. Pectoral and ventral composed of weak 

 rays, the origin of the latter nearly midway from the base of the pectoral to the vent, and 

 the tips of the longest rays reaching to the vent. Branchial arches 4, long and slender; 

 very elongate gill rakers, 10 above and 15 below the angle of the lirst, the longest twice as 

 long as the eye. Velvety black, with a number of luminous spots. 



Eadial formula: D. 12, 13; A. 21, 22; V. 7; P. 10. Branchiostegals, 13. 



This species was obtained by the French explorers at de])ths of from 1,420 to 2,582 

 meters in the Gulf of Gascogne and off the Azores. It has since been found in considerable 

 numbers in the western Atlantic by the Albatross, in the following localities: From station 

 2103, in 380 47' 20" N. lat., 72° 37' VV. Ion., at a depth of 1,091 fathoms; from station 2140, 

 in 17^ 30' 10" N. lat., 76° 46' 05" W. Ion., at a depth of 'J«(J fathoms; from stati.m 2534, in 

 40O 01' N. lat., 07° 29' 15" W. Ion., at a depth of 1,234 fathoms, and No. 35514 U. S. N. M., 

 from station 2196, in 39° 35' N. lat., 09° 44' W. Ion., at a depth of 1,230 fathoms. 



CYCLOTHONE ELONGATA,(Gt)NTHKR). (Figvire 119.) 



Gonostoma elongattim, GOnther, Ann. and Mag. Nat. Hist., 1878, ii, 187. — Challenger Report, xxil, 173, pi. 



XLV, fig. B.— Alcock, Ann. and Mag. Nat. Hist., 1891, ii, 127; 1892, ii, 354. 

 Sigmops stigmaticus, GusL, Proc. U. S. Nat. Mus., vi, 1883, 256. — Jordan, Cat. Fisb. N. Am., 46. 



Height of body one-seventh of total length (without caudal) ; length of head two-ninths. 

 Vent midway between root of caudal fin and eye. Eye moderate, two-thirds length of 

 snout, about one-eighth length of head; its diameter less than width of interorbital space. 

 Mouth exceedingly wide, maxillary extending to the posterior angle of the operculum, with 

 a number of large teeth at considerable distances, with interspaces filled with smaller teeth; 

 intermaxillary with 2 and mandible with about 10 large teeth. Infraorbital bone dilated, 

 covering only about one-half of cheek. Opercular bones thin. Gill laminaj short. Gill 

 rakers long. Branchiostegals 11, very short. Dorsal fin inserted a little behind the ver- 

 tical from vent; greatest height exceeds that of the body at the point of its origin. Anal 

 fin directly under the dorsal, much longer, extending nearly to root of caudal, highest in 

 front. Pectoral narrow, slender, placed low; its length two-thirds that of the head. Dis- 

 tance of ventral from- vent contained one-lialf in its distance from pectoral. Scales have 

 apparently been present, on a i)art at least, of the body, namely, the tail and ventral line. 

 Luminous organs very pink, with silvery margins, in two rows on either side of the 

 abdomen. 



Badiul formula: D. 13; A. 27-30; P. 11; V. 7. Color black. 



This species was obtained by the Challenger from two localities in the South Pacific, 

 one, station 191, south of New Guinea, at a depth of 800 fathoms; one, station 194a, ofl" 

 Banda, at a depth of 3G0 fathoms, and has been found in considerable numbers in the deep 

 waters off tlie American coast by 'ootli the Blake and Vhallcnger,* and by the Inresiigator 

 in the Indian Ocean, station 107, 738 fathoms, and station 107, 1,200 ( !) fathoms. 



* Cyclothonc gracilis (Gonostoma gracile, GuNTnER, Ann. and Mag. Nat. Hist., 1878, ii, 187; Challenger Re- 

 port. XXII, 174, pi. XLV, fig. c), found hy the ChaUengm- at depths from 24.5 to 2,425 fathoms, south of .lapan, 

 is elongate and apparently soaleless, .is in the other species of the genus. The eheek is only partially 

 covered by tin- interorbital; larger teeth in the upper jaw rather numerous. Height of body one-ninth of 

 total length; length of head oue-fifth. Adipose fin absent. D. 10; A. 26; P. 11; V.6. 



