REPORT ON THE DEEP-SEA FISHES. 155 



with the mouth oblique, opening anteriorly, and extending backwards to below or beyond 

 the middle of the eye. Gill-openings very wide, the gill-membranes being united for a 

 short distance only, leaving the greater part of the isthmus uncovered. Branchiostegals 

 six. Barbel none. The margin of the pr?eoperculum is much dilated, forming a 

 semicircular disk, and, like the other bones of the gill-apparatus, membranaceous. 



The first dorsal fin commences immediately above the root of the pectoral; its rays 

 are very thin and fragile, not much longer than the anterior of the second dorsal, which 

 commences immediately behind the first. The rays of the second dorsal are throughout 

 much more developed than those of the anal. Base of the pectoral narrow ; its raj's 

 l)eing extremely thin and delicate, and the upper prolonged into long filaments, the 

 longest of which extends to the anal. Ventral fins below the pectoral. 



The distance between the vent and huse of the ventral equals about half the length of 

 the head. Nearly all the scales are gone, but the few which remain show that they were 

 cycloid. There appear to have been six in a transverse line between the first dorsal fin 

 and the lateral line. 



Brownish-black. Head, alxlomcu, and inside of mouth, deep black. First branchial 

 arch with 6-f-17 long, setiform gill-rakers {see figure). 



Habitat. — Deep-sea, between New Zealand and the Kermadec Islands, Station 169; 

 depth, 700 fathoms. One specimen, 8 inches long. 



Near the Kermadec Islands, Stations 170, 170a ; depth, 520 and 630 fathoms. Seven 

 specimens, 4 to 7 inches long. 



Near the Kermadec Islands, Station 171; depth, 600 fathoms. Six specimens, 

 2 to 2^ inches long. 



All the specimens of this interesting new form of Macruridae were unfortunately 

 much damaged by the trawl. 



Bathygadus multifilis {PI. XLII. fig. B). 



D. 8. P. 15. V. 8. 



The head is compressed, and rather elongate ; the nuchal region not being elevated. 

 The muciferous channels are less capacious, and the bones are generally firmer than in 

 Bathygadus cottoides. Eye of moderate size, oval, much longer than deep, its longest 

 diameter being two-ninths of the length of the head, equal to the length of the snout 

 and to the width of the iutcrorbital space. Snout rather obtuse, with the mouth very 

 wide, oblic^ue, opening anteriorly, and extending l)ackwards to behind the eye. Gill- 

 openings as in Bathygadus cottoides. Barbel long, half the length of the head. The 

 margin of the prseoperculum is but slightly dilated, with the angle rounded. 



The first dorsal fin commences above the root of the pectoral, the second ray, as well 



