no DISCOVERY REPORTS 



J length of head. Sides spotted and marbled with purplish-grey; end of tail blackish; 

 inside of mouth, gill-opening and vent black. 



Hob. Straits of Magellan, 24 fathoms. 



Known only from the unique holotype, 140 mm. in total length. 



Melanostigma microphthalmus, sp.n. 



St. WS 246. 19. vii. 28. 52 25' S, 6i° 00' W. Commercial otter trawl, 267-208 m.: 1 specimen, 

 70 mm. 



St. WS 248. 20. vii. 28. 52 40' S, 58 30' W. Commercial otter trawl, 210-242 m.: 1 specimen, 

 85 mm. Holotype. 



Skin not loose. Depth of body about 10 in the length, length of head 6 J to nearly 7. 

 Diameter of eye about 5* in length of head, greater than interorbital width. Mouth 

 nearly horizontal; maxillary extending to below anterior part or middle of eye; no 

 canines in upper jaw, but an enlarged canine-like tooth on each side of lower jaw; a pair 

 of teeth placed side-by-side on the vomer. Distance from head to origin of anal greater 



Fig. 58. Melanostigma microphthalmus. x ij. 



than length of head. Pectoral about \ length of head. Back and sides brownish; 

 abdomen and lower parts of head pale yellowish-white, spotted or marbled with brown ; 

 in the holotype the pale colour of the abdomen extends posteriorly along lower part of 

 side ; median fins pale yellowish-white, with some irregular brown markings ; pectorals 

 yellowish ; inside of mouth and gill-opening pale. 

 Hab. Just south of the Falkland Islands. 



LYCODAPODIDAE 



There is some doubt whether this family can be maintained as distinct from the 

 Zoarcidae, to which it is very closely allied. I have ascertained that in Lycodapus 

 anstralis the basal bones of the dorsal and anal fins are equal in number to the neural 

 and haemal spines. Regan (1912, Ann. Mag. Nat. Hist., Ser. 8, x, p. 276) has pointed 

 out that "the head and mouth [of Lycodapus] recall those of Lycodopsis or Bothrocara, 

 the gill-membranes join the isthmus between the rami of the lower jaw (at least in 

 L. fierasfer), and the dorsal and anal rays correspond in number to the myotomes". 



Lycodapus australis, sp.n. 



St. WS 748. 16. ix. 31. 53 41' 30" S, 70° 55' W. Rectangular net, 300 m.: 4 specimens, 50- 

 93 mm. (holotype, 93 mm.). 



Depth of body n-| to nearly 12 in the length, length of head 6£ to 6f. Snout about 

 i\ times as long as eye, diameter of which is 4! in length of head and greater than 

 interorbital width. Lower jaw a little longer than upper; maxillary extending to below 



