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



distance below the pylorus. Attached to its dorsal convexity is the spleen, which is 

 a large, compact, kidney-shaped gland. 



The ovary is enclosed in a sac of very firm texture, and situated between the rectum 

 and the kidney. It was much contracted in our specimen, and without ova. A strong 

 lio-ament extends from its anterior ventral end to the level of the anterior end of the 

 gall-bladder, where it coalesces with the mesentery ; another long ligament, starting 

 more to the left of the ovarian sac-, fixes the organ to the air-bladder. 



The air-bladder is large, firmly attached to the dorsal wall of the abdomen. Ex- 

 ternally it appears to be simple, but it consists of two divisions, one behind the other, 

 separated by a complete elastic transverse septum. The anterior division is the shorter, 

 and possesses thinner tunics, which collapse when divided by the knife. The inner 

 silvery tunic, as well as the fibrous one of the posterior division, is much thicker. A 

 large vaso-ganglion, covered by the inner tunic only, occupies the back of the cavity. 

 The vessels of this rete mirahile unite into a bundle of the thickness of a goose's 

 quill, which enters this division in about the middle of its length, and is loosely 

 stretched, without other attachment, to the end of the bladder where it makes its exit. 



Neobythites macrops, n. sp. (PI. XX. fig. A). 



Head oblong, as deep as broad, the obtusely rounded snout overlapping the lower 

 jaw. Eye rather large, two-ninths of the length of the head, its long diameter being 

 equal to the length of the snout and to the width of the flat, scaly, interorbital sjiace. The 

 maxillary extends somewhat behind the eye. Vomerine teeth in a triangular patch or 

 /\-shaped band; palatine teeth in a long band, which tapers behind, and is in the middle 

 as broad as the intermaxillary band. Prseoperculum with two short spines ; one at the 

 angle, the other somewhat above it ; both pointing backwards. Opercular spine rather 

 strong, finely pointed. The upper part of the head is covered with small scales nearly 

 to the extremity of the snout ; similar small scales cover the skin between the two rami 

 of the mandible. There are eight or nine scales in a transverse series between the first 

 dorsal ray and the lateral line. The vertical fins are rather low, the dorsal beginning 

 behind the root of the pectoral. The distance between the vent and root of the ventrals 

 equals the length of the head. Pectoral fin as long as the postorbital portion of the head. 

 The ventrals are bifid, the inner filament being the longer ; they are inserted nearly 

 opposite to the angle of the pra3operculum, somewhat distant from each other, and do not 

 extend so far backwards as tlie pectorals. Brownish-grey, irregularly spotted with brown ; 

 six or seven large deep-black blotches on the dorsal fin. 



Habitat. — Off the riiilippine Islands, Station 210; depth, 375 fathoms. One 

 specimen, 8§ inches long. 



The firm structure of the bones of the skull, the moderate size of the eye, and the 



