DISCUSSION OF SPECIES AKD THEIR DISTRIBUTION. 187 



51' IST. Lat., 8S0 18' W. Lon., at a depth of 730 fathoms; station 2392, in 28° 47' 30" N. Lat., 

 87° 27' W. Lon., at a depth of 721 fathoms; station 2303, in 2S'3 13' N. Lat., 87° 11' 30" W. 

 Lon., at a depth of 535 fathoms; station 2381, in 28° 48' N. Lat., 88° 15' 30" W, Lon., at a 

 depth of 910 fathoms; station 2117, in 15° 21' 40" N. Lat., (53o 31' 30" W. Lon., at a depth of 

 083 fathoms, and station 2110, in 17° 36' 10" X. Lat., 40= 10' 05" W. Lon., at a depth of 966 

 fathoms. 



The Blake also secured a specimen from station xcvi, off Guadeloupe, at a depth of 

 709 fathoms. 



STEPHANOBERYX GILLII, Goode aud Bean, n. s. (Figure 206.) 



The type specimen is No. 33555, U. S. Nat. Museum, obtained from Albatross station 

 2099; its length is 6 inches. Two additional examples from Albatross station 2102 have also 

 been used for the purpose of this description ; one of these is 4f inches long and the other 

 5J inches. 



The diameter of the eye equals length of snout and one- fourth length of head, which is 

 one-third of total length to caudal base. Greatest depth of body two-sevenths of total with- 

 out caudal. The upper jaw is as long as the postorbital part of the head. Gill-rakers long 

 and slender, about 15 below the angle on the first arch. The ventral origin is behind the 

 end of the extended pectoral. The distance of the anal origin from end of head fully equals 

 length of head. 



About 33 rows of scales from head to base of caudal ; 9 rows above and 7 below the 

 lateral line. 



Kadial formula: B. 7; D. 11; A. 11; P. 13; V. I, 5. 



Color, in spirits, pale, the back, in front of dorsal, showing traces of rose. 



The species may readily be distinguished from <S'. nionce by its smaller number of dorsal 

 and anal rays and gill-rakers, the position of its veutrals, and the greater length of its 

 trunk. 



Specimens were obtaiiu-d from Albatross stations 2099 (2,949 fathoms), 2102 (1,209 fath- 

 oms), and 2196 (1,230 fathoms). 



Family TRACHICHTHYID.E. 



Trachiehthyoidei, Bleeker, Tentamen, 1859, xix. (Familia 73). 



Body ovate, deep, much comi)ressed, with small or moderate ctenoid scales. Abdo- 

 men protected by a dermal scute, forming a serrated edge. Head large, deeper than long; 

 superficial bones excavated, and with conspicuous muciferous cavities. Mouth very wide, 

 oblique. Villiform teeth in the jaws and on the vomer. Siiborbifah very broad, covering 

 the cheeks. Branchiostegals 8. Gill-openings wide; giU-lamime very short. A single dorsal 

 tin, with a few anterior spinous rays. Ventrals with 6 soft rays. 



In this family are included two genm-a: Trachichthys, with teeth upon its vomer, oper- 

 culum with spine, and witli two anal spines, aud. Hojilostethtis, with toothless vomer, opercu- 

 lum entire, and 3 anal spines. 



TRACHICHTHYS, Shaw. 



Trachichthys, Shaw, Nat. Misc. 1798, x, pi. 378.— CoviKR and Valenciennes, Hist. Nat. Poiss., iii, 229.— 

 Lowe, Fishes of Madeira, 55.— Guntheb, Cat. Fish. Brit. Mus., i, 10; Challenger Report xxii, 21. 

 Body compressed, more or less deep, covered with small ctenoid and generally rough 

 scales, which are rather irregularly arranged. Abdomen protected by dermal scutes, which 

 form a serrated edge. Head very large, the superflcial bones being deeply sculptured to 

 receive wide muciferous cavities which are covered by thin skin only. Mouth very wide, 

 oblique; villiform teeth in the jaws and on the vomer and palatine bones. Eight branchi- 

 ostegals; gill-openings very wide, gill-laminae very short. Supi-ascapulary and angle of 



