I 



24 THE FISHES OF THE «INGOLF. EXPEDITIONS. 



from the American fishings. Bnt there i.s one difficulty, which is still hardly overcome, viz., to get 

 the large material of c. 100 described species distribtited in good genera and subgenera in a satisfying 

 manner. Provisionally I may refer to the list of genera in < Oceanic Ichthyology» , where 17 genera 

 (or subgenera?) are recognised, to which may be added an iS"', later proposed [Coclocrphaliis Gilbert 

 & Cramer). Until further information I retain the name Macninis as a common name for all the 

 arctic and subarctic species here mentioned. 



Macrurus Fabricii Sundev. {rupestris Fabr. non Gunn.). 



The name ]\I. bcrglax Lac. which has been substituted in later times for this species is less 



convenient for this form, so well known in Greenland, as one will more easily understand it as 



alluding to the J/. (Coryphcrnoides) Stroinii^ the «Berglax» of the Norwegians. The largest Ingolfian 



specimen has a length of 21 inches, it has therefore not the full size of the species; the smallest is 



only 4^2 inches. The stations and localities where they were taken, are 



Station Lat. N. Long. W. Fathoms Temp, of the bottom 



/IQ>j, 27: 64° 54' 55^10' 393 3°.8C. 



'<5>^ 32: 66° 35' 56° 38' 318 3°.9C. 



• -^U 35: 65° 16' 55° 05' 362 3°-6C. 



t' 



all from the Davis Strait. 



38: 59° 12' 51=05' 1870 I'.sC. 



These localities are partly from the Davis Strait, West of Holsteinsborg and Sukkertoppen, partly 

 from the entrance to the Davis Strait. What shortly can be said of the distribution of the species 

 outside this region is, that it is known more southward, from George's Bank, from the port of New 

 York, were it was found floating at the surface, and from 41° 47' Lat. North, 65'^ 37' 30" Long. West at 

 a depth of 677 fathoms, and further from the eastern part of the North Sea, the Finnish and Nor- 

 wegian coast.s. 



The characters which make this species recognisable are the obtuse shape of the head, the 

 rounded snout, the large eyes whose diameter is the double or more of the breadth of the front 

 between them and ecjual with or larger than the length of the snout from its points to the orbital 

 margin, the numerous keels along the sides of the trunk and tail, the back and belly, produced by 

 every scale having a strong denticulate keel; on large specimens there is commonly only one such 

 keel, but the greater scales of the head have commonly more (3, 4 or 5) such keels, diverging from 

 forwards backwardly. These larger scales form partly more prominent groups on the opercles and 

 preopercles, partly rows especially on the median line of the snout, round the orbits, along the lower 

 lateral margin of the head etc. A larger naked spot before the eyes gives room for the nostrils; 

 before these there is in larger specimens a smaller naked spot on each side, close to the point of the 

 snout. Below the inferior lateral margin bespoken the skin is naked or only covered with smaller 

 asperities, and the same is the case with the two branches of the lower jaw. Li half-grown speci- 

 mens it is evident, that on the ordinary scales there are besides the chief keel several more or less 

 distinctly serrated accessory keels, i, 3 or 4 on each side of the chief keel; but the distinct and 

 numerous larger longitudinal keels along the sides of the body are nevertheless equally characteristic 



