DISCUSSION OF SPECIES AND THEIR DISTRIBUTION. 179 



the nasal region covering large muciferous cavities separated by osseous bars and with lat- 

 eral crests simulating those of crested Scorpasnids. 



Suborbital bones with the superficial area narrow and emitting sulcate spiniform pro- 

 cesses ; cheeks covered with sliin as well as periorbital region. 



Preoperculnm with its inner fold parallel with but widely separated from the external 

 margin ; the latter is rounded at the angle, the posterior limb is vertical, and a short hori- 

 zontal one is developed. 



Operculum normally developed, with large cycloid scales, and, behind, radiating ridges; 

 subopercnlum extending as a membranous border behind; iuteroi)erculum moderate. 



Eye moderate (its diameter equaling a quarter of the he.ad's length) and entirely in the 

 anterior half of the head. 



Mouth with the cleft moderately oblique. 



Upper jaw not i)rotractile; the intermaxillaries protracted backwards almost as far as 

 the supermaxillaries ; tlie latter have normally dilated smooth ends. 



Lower jaw quite deep, curved, with smooth skin, with the rami inclined inwards below 

 and nearly contiguous, and with a truncate chin. 



Teeth ratlier small, curved, and pointed, in two rows in each jaw, those of the upper 

 closing around the lower jaw, and the teeth of the external row (at least in the lower jaw) 

 smaller than those of the internal. 



Branchial apertures normally cleft. 



Shoulder girdle emitting a spine on each side, behind the nape. 



PLECTROMUS SUBORBITALIS, Gill. (Figure 201.) 

 PlectromiiB suhorhitalis, Gill, Proc. U. S. Nat. Mus., vi, 1883, 254-7-8.— Jordan, Cat. Fish. N. Amer., 1885, 74. 



A sx^ecies of Plectromiis having the length of the head contained nearly 3 times in the 

 total witliout the caudal ; the height of the body 3§ times. The diameter of the eye equals 

 the length of the snout and is contained 5J times in the length of the head. Mouth oblique; 

 the end of the maxilla reaches to below the hind margin of the orbit. Two spines, one 

 on each side of the nape, s]iringing forward from the shoulder bones, give a strange appear- 

 ance to the fish, and have gained for it the generic name Plectromus. The mandible projects 

 slightly. Gill membranes deeply cleft, free from the isthmus behind, gillrakers moderate, 

 about 15 below angle of 1st arch. A single series of weak, somewhat scattered, curved 

 teeth on the intermaxilla and mandible. 



The dorsal origin is over about tlie sixth row of scales; the length of the dorsal base 

 equals length of head. The anal origin is under the seventeenth ray of the dorsal; the anal 

 base is nearly one-third as long as the head. 



The pectoral is two-sevenths of the total length without the caudal. Theven tral origi- 

 nates under the base of the pectoral; these fins are imperfect. 



Eadial formula: D. iii, 16; A. i, 8; P. 14; V.I, 7. Scales about 30; transverse series, 6; 

 the exposed margins of the few scales present are marked with coarse concentric strife. 



Color, black. 



The type of the species (No. 33271, LT. S. N. M.), 3^2,. inches long without the caudal, 

 which is imperfect, was obtained by the Albatross from station 203(5 in 38'^ 52' 40" N. lat., 

 690 24' 40" W. Ion., at a depth of 1,735 fathoms. Another (No. 3.5451, U. S. N. M.) was 

 taken from station 2190, in 39° 40' N. lat., 70° 20' 15" W. Ion., at a depth of 1,800 fath- 

 oms; also two small individuals from station 2535, in 40° 03' 30" X. lat., 67^27' 15" W. Ion., 

 at a depth of 1,149 fathoms. 



PLECTROMUS BEANII, (Gunther), Goonr, .and Bean. (Figure 202.) 



Plertromuii crassiceps. Bean, Proc. U. S. Nat. Mus., 1885, 73 (preoccupied). — Jordan, Cat. Fishes N. A., 1885,74. 

 Melamphaes iicanii, GuNTUER, Challenger Report, XXil, 1887, 29. 



Height of body two-sevenths of total length (without caudal) ; length of head one-third. 

 Diameter of the eye contained 4i times in the length of the head. The maxillary ex- 

 tends to or slightly beyond the vertical through the hind margin of the eye. The pec- 



