^g PAPERS FROM TORTUGAS LABORATORY vol. xxxiv 



species previously was recorded no farther south than off the coast of South 

 Carolina, at 32 43' 25" N., 77° 20' 30" W., in 233 fathoms. S. F. H. 



Urophycis chesteri (Goode and Bean) 



Dr. Longley listed 29 specimens, 250 to 300 mm. long, taken in 135 to 315 

 fathoms. There is no representative of this species in his collection. The one so 

 labeled is obviously Phycis cirratus, a very different species, indicating that labels 

 became mixed. 



This species is recognized by the very long filament of the 3d ray of the first 

 dorsal, which in the type reaches to the beginning of the last fourth of the second 

 dorsal; by the very long ventral filament, which fails to reach the end of the 

 anal by only a little more than an eye's diameter; by the moderate number of 

 scales (about 90) in a lateral series; and by the rather numerous gill rakers (16 

 on lower limb of first arch). 



The occurrence of this common northern species at Tortugas is interesting, 

 as it apparently had not previously been recorded farther south than off the 

 coast of North Carolina, at 34° 35' 30" N., 75° 45' 30"' W., in 32 fathoms. 



S.F.H. 



Family MERLUCCIIDAE. Hakes 



Merluccius bilinearis (Mitchill) 



This common northern fish of both shallow and deep water occurs only in 

 deep water southward. Dr. Longley listed many specimens, ranging from 120 to 

 535 mm. in length, taken in 140 to 392 fathoms. 



Dr. Longley was of the opinion that the Tortugas specimens might represent 

 a southern subspecies, because of the fewer fin-rays. He listed the counts for 7 

 specimens, giving the following results: D. 12-37, I: "37' I2 ~3^> 13-37, I2 ~39> II_ 39> 

 11-37; A. 37, 37, 37, 36, 38, 37, 36. I counted rays in 7 specimens from Massachu- 

 setts and Rhode Island, reaching the following results: D. 12-38, 12-41, 13-39, 

 13-38, 12-38, 12-39, 12-39; A- 39) 4°? 4°» 4 1 ' 4 1 ) 4°> 39- A somewhat lower count 

 for the Tortugas fish is evident for these small samples. Many more specimens 

 will have to be examined critically and many counts will have to be made, how- 

 ever, to establish the exact relationship. 



The food found in the few stomachs that retained any consisted of squids and 

 fish vertebrae. 



Newfoundland to the Bahamas and Tortugas, Florida. S. F. H. 



Order HETEROSOMATA. Flounders; Flatfishes 



It is evident from that part of the work more or less completed by Dr. Longley 

 that he intended to use the nomenclature of Norman, Flatfishes {Heterosomata), 

 vol. 1, 1934, at least in so far as the families and genera are concerned. This pro- 

 cedure has been carried out by me. S. F. H. 



