CENTROSCYMNUS OWSTONII. 205 



vertical from the origin of the dorsal. Dorsal spines small, hardly project ing; 

 fins small, the first in the anterior half of the total length, the second quite as 

 large as the first, more pointed, and situated near the forward end of the poste- 

 rior third of the total, twice as long as wide, origin above or slightly behind t he 

 middle of the ventrals bases. Ventrals larger than the second dorsal, extremities 

 not reaching as far backward. Subcaudal separated from the terminal port ion 

 of the caudal by a notch, lobe moderately produced. Scales pedicellate; those 

 of the flanks larger, smooth and somewhat concave on the top near the forward 

 edge, smaller with feeble striae on head and neck, very small toward the edges 

 of the fins, axils of fins naked. 



Deep chestnut-brown above and below, lighter near the centre of the larger 

 scales, little darker on snout and fins. 



Described from a female specimen of forty-four inches taken off the coast 

 of New England. 



Originally known from deep waters off Portugal. 



Centroscymnus OWSTONII. 



Plate 13, fig. 5-8. 



Centroscymnus owstonii Garman, 1900, Bull. M. C. Z., 46, p. 207; Regan, 1908, Ann. mag. nat. hist., 

 ser. 8, 2, p. 49. 



Body subfusiform, moderately robust, slightly compressed; head depressed; 

 snout broad and broadly rounded on the end. Nostrils oblique, small, two thirds 

 as far from the end of the snout as from one another, valve broad. Eye large, 

 little more than half the preoral length. Mouth moderately curved, width two 

 thirds of the preoral length, with a deep groove at each angle; labial folds short, 

 upper longer, hidden by the groove. Teeth in || rows; upper narrow, lanceo- 

 late, in three groups separated by smaller teeth; median group widest and most 

 prominent, functioning outside (in front) *of the lower jaws, lateral groups nar- 

 rower, functioning inside (between) the lower jaws; lower teeth broad, com- 

 pressed, a single series in function, except when about to be shed, cusps obliquely 

 directed outward. Spiracles medium, backward and above from the eye, exter- 

 nally separated from the orbit by twice their width, but internally with a large 

 prespiracular chamber or cavity below the skin extending forward to a point 

 above the hinder portion. Gill openings small, width one third of the orbital 

 length, in front of the pectoral. Pectorals twice as long as wide, inner angle not 

 developed, fin not reaching a vertical from the dorsal spine by about one length 

 of the orbit. Dorsal spines very little exserted, weak. First dorsal wholly in 



