750 



DEPTHS OF THE OCEAN 



sented in Fig. 546, taken at Station 53 in 1300 metres. The 

 head has been much transformed, but the body still retains 

 much of the leptocephalous character, while on the ventral side 

 pigment has been developed. 



Fig. 547 shows the number of leptocephali of every descrip- 

 tion taken during our cruise, and we see that the majority were 

 taken south of a line from Newfoundland past the Azores to 



Fig. 545. 



a. Larva of Gastrostomiis bairdii (?). Nat. size, 4 cm. Station 64. 



b. Gastrosfomus bairdii. Gill and Ryd. Nat. size, 7.5 cm. 



North Africa. The ones taken north of this line belong, 

 according to Lea, to the following species : — 



Leptocephalus hrevirostris, the larva of the common eel. 



Leptocephalus Congri vulgaris^ the larva of the conger eel. 



Leptocephalus Synaphobranchi phinafi, the larva of Synaphobranchus pinnatiis. 



Leptocephalus amphioxus, larva of an unknown species. 



Transition-stage from leptocephalus to " j'oiing fish." Station 53, 1300 metn 



Only one specimen of the last mentioned was taken at 

 Station 8i off Newfoundland, so that we may say that the three 

 first mentioned are the only ones observed north of the line 

 indicated. The majority of individuals as well as of species 

 were thus taken south of the Azores. 



The interest attached to this peculiar distribution of the 

 leptocephali is greatly increased when we examine their dis- 



