REPORT ON THE DEEP-SEA FISHES. 99 



Chiasmodus, Johns. 



One species only is known. 



Chiasmodus niger. 



Chiasmodus niger, Johns., Proo. Zool Soc. Lond., 1863, p. 408. 

 „ „ Giinth., Fish., vol v. p. 435. 



„ „ Carter, Proc. Zool. Soc. Lond., 1886, p. 35, pi. ii.^ 



„ „ Giinth,, Ihid. 



,, ,, Jordan and Gilbert, Synops. Fish. North Amer., p. 810. 



The first specimen, only 2f inches long, was obtained at Magdalena (Madeira), at a 

 depth of 312 fathoms, in the year 1850, by Lowe, who, however, omitted to give a 

 description of it. The species was rediscovered twelve years later at the same locality 

 by Johnson, who recognised it as the type of a distinct genus. The third specimen, 

 6^ inches long, the largest known at present, was picked up from the surface, near the 

 island of Dominica. A fourth example, 2^ inches long, in no point difiering from the 

 preceding, except that it has lost the larger front teeth, was obtained by the Challenger, 

 in Mid- Atlantic, at Station 107 (August 26, 1873), in 1500 fathoms. Finally, Jordan 

 and Gilbert mention the capture of this fish off the coast of Massachusetts. 



Family Ophidiid^. 



Barathrodemus. 

 Barathrodemus, Goode and Bean, Bull. Mus. Comp. Zool., voL^x., 1883, p. 200.* 



Caudal free from the other vertical fins. Pectoral without detached rays. Ventrals 

 reduced each to a single bifid ray, close together, inserted under the middle of the 

 operculum. Body elongate, much compressed, covered, like the head, with small thin 

 scales. Head compressed ; snout long, swollen, overlapping the jaws ; mouth moderate. 

 Villiform teeth in the jaws, on the vomer and palatines. Barbel none. Brauchiostegals 

 eight ; pseudobr'anchise none. Lateral line indistinct. 



One species is known. 



' The specimen described in this paper was first submitted to me by Mr. Carter, wlio begged me to give hiiii my 

 opinion on it ; the figure was also made under my direction. 



' A specimen of some allied deep-sea fish, and noticed in Proc. U.S. Nat. Mus., 1884, p. 259, under the name of 

 Bassosetus normalis, is at present not better known than if it had escaped the dredge of the U.S. Fish Commission. 



