36 THE VOYAGE OF H.M.S. CHALLENGER. 



collection contains a very young specimen, only 33 mm. long, which agrees so well with 

 Johnson's description that it no doubt belongs to the same species. Only the dagger- 

 shaped postanal spine is shorter than the ventral spines, and also the separation of 

 distinct finlcts cannot be clearly made out, as might be expected in so young an example. 

 It was brought up in the dredge at Station 40, in lat. 34° 51' N., long. 68° 30' W., where 

 the dredge had reached a depth of 2675 fathoms. However, no part of the organisation 

 of these Trichiuroids indicates that they descend to so great a depth, whilst, on the other 

 hand, young Trichiuroids are not rarely found near the surface. It is, therefore, much 

 more probable that this small fish entered the dredge shortly before it came to the 

 surface. 



Aphaiiopus, Lowe. 



Body much elongate, band-like, scaleless; head long, pointed; cleft of the mouth 

 very wide, the jaws being armed with strong lanceolate teeth disposed in a single series 

 and in a common alveolar grove ; no teeth on the palate. Eye very large. The whole of 

 the back is occupied by a dorsal fin which is divided into two subequal divisions. Anal 

 spines numerous, very feeble ; a strong dagger-shaped spine behind the vent. Caudal fin 

 weU developed, deeply cleft; pectoral fins of moderate length, rounded; ventral fins 

 absent. Seven branchiostegals ; air-bladder present. Pyloric appendages in small 

 number. 



Aphanopus carho (PL VII. fig. A). 



Ajihanojn^s carbo, Lowe, Proc. Zool. Soc. Lond., 1839, p. 79. 

 „ „ Giinth., FisL, vol. ii p. 343. 



„ ,, Capello, Journ. Sci. Acad. Lisb., vol. i., t. iv. fig. 4. 



We have no information as to the exact depth at which this fish lives, but there is no 

 doubt that it belongs to the deep-sea fauna, as it is caught, and only very rarely, on the 

 longest lines of the Madciran fishermen ; off tlie Portuguese coast it is similarly obtained on 

 the tackle used by the Portuguese fishermen for the capture of deep-sea sharks. The large 

 eye, the black colour of the body, the thinness of the bones of the head and of the 

 A'ertebrse are additional evidence of the bathybial habits of the fish. 



The length of the species is from 4 to 5 feet. 



Nesiarchiis, Johnson. 



Body elongate, compressed, covered with small scales. Eye of moderate size. 

 Several strong fangs in the jaws; palate toothless. First dorsal fin willi about twenty 

 spines, separate from the second. No detached finlcts. Ventrals small, thoracic. Caudal 

 fin present. A dagger-shaped spine behind the vent. 



