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



the interorbital space is ouly two-thirds of that of the eye. Snout very short with steep 

 anterior profile and transverse anterior mouth, the cleft of the mouth being nearly on the 

 same level as the lower margin of the eye. All the bones of the head are very thin, 

 semicartUawinous ; the head seems to have been scaleless. The gill-cavity is closed 

 behind, the gill-opening beginning opposite to the root of the pectoral fin, and the 

 <^ill-membrane forming a broad bridge across the isthmus. This membranous bridge is 

 not attached to the isthmus, and contains a layer of transverse muscular fascicles by 

 which the gill-covers can be simultaneously fii-mly closed. The branchiostegals are 

 extremely thin and short and hidden in the membrane. The dorsal fin commences 

 nearly midway between snout and caudal; it is short and composed of feeble rays. 

 Vent placed far backwards, the length of the tail not being much more than that of the 

 head. Anal fin likewise composed of feeble rays, terminating at a short distance from" 

 the caudal. (The caudal fin is too much injured to ascertain its shape.) Pectoral fin 

 narrow, close to the lower profile. Ventrals opposite to the hind part of the dorsal fin. 



All the scales being lost, their size and number can be given only approximately from 

 the remaining scale pouches ; they must have been very thin, and the lateral line seems 

 to have run along the middle of the side of the body. 



Also of the colour nothing can be stated, except that the scale pouches have a 

 distinct black margin. 



Habitat. — One specimen, in very bad condition and 6^ inches long, was obtained in 

 the South Atlantic, at Station 318 (depth, 2040 fathoms). 



]\Ir. Murray * has made a very important observation on the circumstances attending 

 the capture of this fish, which has a direct bearing on the question as to the bathybial 

 range of many of the fishes captured by the deep-sea trawl. At this station the trawl 

 was over the side for seven hours, but it never seemed to touch the bottom. Yet it 

 contained, beside the specimen of Bathjlagus, several large Medusae, several bright scarlet 

 Shrimps, and other animals. " It is impossible to say how near the trawl may have been 

 to the bottom, but Mr. Murray considers it quite certain that most, if not all, of the 

 animals above mentioned were captured in the intermediate water, between a depth of 

 100 fathoms from the surface, and a short distance from the bottom." 



Bathylagus antarcticus. 



Bathylagxis antarcticus, Giinth., Ann. ami. Mag. Nat. Hist., 1878, vol. ii. p. 218. 



D. 10. A. 22. P. 0. V. 8. 



This species is closely allied to the preceding, but readily distinguished by the greater 

 number of anal rays. The height of the body is rather less than the length of the head, 



' Narr. Chall. Exp., vol. i. p. 003. 



