254 DEEP-SEA FISHES OF THE ATLANTIC BASIN. 



Sauvage declares, appears to be distinct. It is distiugui.shed by the less oblique profile of 

 the head, smaller eye, shorter iiiaxillary, colorless pharynx, the teeth in the middle of the 

 upper jaw shorter, 4 spines on the preojiorculiini instead of 5, the anal shoiter, and the 

 scales diti'erent in character. Another distinctive character is the jiresence of 2 strong 

 spines on the suborbital. 



The spjice between the posterior margin of the eye and the origin of the dorsal is more 

 arched than in the other species. The height is contained four times in the length of the 

 head; the opening of the mouth is more horizontal; the interocular space flatter and 

 narrower between the two crests, which are less conspicuous. The 0(;cipital pit is nearly 

 square. The suborbital crest has 3 spines, while in //. daciijloptcnis scarcely any spines 

 are visible. 



The teeth of the vomer are arranged in the form of a A, with angles less divergent than 

 in the other species. Between the vomerine patch and the palatines thcrt' is a considerable 

 interval; the palatine band narrower anterioi'ly and more curved. The anterior edge of the 

 maxillary is less notched, the muzzle blunter. The preopercular space is shorter ; the lateral 

 line is straighter in its anterior jjortion. The space between the extTcmity of the dorsal 

 and the origin of the caudal is shorter. The second and third si)incs of the <lorsal are much 

 longer than those which follow, while in H. dacti/lopicrus the spines diminish regularly in 

 height. The fins are uniform brownish-red ; the caudal has a few black blotches. 



This species, which Sauvage considers allied to Ilclicolcn us (hiiiijJopicrns, docs not belong 

 to the same genus. It is suspiciously close to Tontinus Kuhlii, but we deem it unsafe to 

 assume its specific identity iu species from localities even so close together as Sicily and 

 Madeira. The description of Sauvage is therefore translated in full, and the attention of 

 Mediterranean ichthyologists is especially directed to the desirability of obtaining further 

 material in regard to this genus in their waters. 



PONTINUS FILIFER, (Valknciennes), (iooi.E and Bean. 



Seiastes f lifer, Valenciennes, in Welib and 15ertliel<)t, Hist. Nat. lies Caiiaricnues, Poissons, 1836, 21 ])1. ii, 

 fig. 2. 



A Ponfinus with a comparatively low dorsal convexity, its height at the origin of the 

 anal about two-thirds that at the origin of the dorsal, which enters 2§ into the total length 

 (without caudal); length of head about 2i times in total length. Eye small, its diameter 

 about two-thirds the length of the snout, and contained about four and one-half times iu 

 that of the head; it touches but does not encroach upon the upper profile, and (as shown 

 by the figure of Webb and Ucrthelot) this profile is not deeply depressed, either in front 

 or behind it. Interorbital space nearly fiat, its width two-thirds the diameter of the ej^e, 

 with two strong crests, each terminated by a spine. Suborbital crest sharp, comjjosed of 3 

 nearly equal pointed spines. Posterior extremity of the maxillary extending abdut to the 

 vertical from the posterior limb of the orbit. Tongue free. Teeth in broad bands upon the 

 jaws, longest in the middle. Vomerine teeth iu the form of a A? with wide angle. 



Dorsal fin planted far back, not far in front of the axil of the pectorals. The base of 

 the spinous dorsal is nearly one- third as long as the body; its second spine is nuich the 

 longest, slender, recurved, its length about twice that of the fourth spine, which is about 

 equal to the twelfth and twice as long as the first. The spines following the fourth decrease 

 in very slow and gradual gradation to the eleventh, the seventh to the eleventh inclusive 

 being nearly equal; the third is midway in length between the second and the fourth: the 

 soft dorsal is as high as the second spine. 



The origin of the anal is in the vertical fiom that of the second dorsal; its end in the 

 vertical from the preantepenultimate dorsal ray, its first spine is similar in size and shape 

 to the first of the dorsal; its second to the fourth of the dorsal, though stouter; its third to 

 the fifth of the dorsal. The base of the pectoral is rather narrow, its width about equal to 

 the length ot the snout. Its rays are ai)parently all simple, the niiddh^ ones the longest 

 and nearly as long as the longest dorsal spine, and extending to the vertical from the origin 

 of the anal. The tips of all the rays are free, those of the middle ones most so. 



