MUSEUM OF COMPAEATIVE ZOOLOGY. 109 



11. Chalinura Simula, new species. 



A single specimen, 458 millimeters in length, was obtained- at Station 

 308. lu some resi^ects it resembles the description of CuryylicBnoides affinis, 

 Giinther, obtained by H. M. S. " Challenger " at a depth of 1900 ftithoms, 

 east of the mouth of the Rio Plata. 



The most salient characters are (1.) the very large mouth, (2.) the long obtuse 

 snout, and (3.) the very elongate first ventral ray. 



The body is shaped much as in CorypJi(cnoidcs, but is rather stout, its greatest 

 height being contained 6| times in its total length. The back is somewhat 

 gibbous in profile, the dorsal outline rising quite rapidly from the interorbiUd 

 region to the origin of the first dorsal, whence it descends almost in a straight 

 line to the end of the tail. 



The scales are rather small, cycloid, without armature, but with indications, 

 particularly on the head, of radiating stria. The number of scales in the 

 lateral line is about 150, about eight rows between the origin of the dorsal and 

 the lateral line, and 17 to 19 between that line and the origin of the anal. 



The length of the head is contained about 5^ times in the total length of the 

 body. The width of the interorbital area is a little greater than the long 

 diameter of the orbit, which is equal to that of the snout. The postorbital 

 portion of the head is about three times as long as the diameter of the eye. 

 The length of the operculum is equal to half that of the upper jaw. The pre- 

 operculuui is emarginate on its posterior limb. The orbit is nearly round, its 

 diameter contained five timcjs in the length of the head. The snout is broad, 

 obtuse, scarcely projecting beyond the mouth ; its width nearly as great at the 

 tip as that of the interorbital space or as its own length. The median ridge 

 is very prominent, gibbous in outline when observed laterally ; the lateral 

 ridges start out almpst at a right angle with the median ridge, and are not 

 continued upon the sides of the liead. Tlie suborljitals prominent, forming 

 broad subocular ridges. No supraorbital ridges. Nostrils in front of the mid- 

 dle of the eye, and nearer to its anterior margin tlian to the tip of the snout. 

 Barbel longer than the diameter of the eye. 



Teeth in the upper jaw in a broad villiform band, with the outer series very 

 much enlarged. The lower jaw with the teeth in a single series. 



Distance of first dorsal from snout 4| times the length of its base, its distance 

 from the anterior margin of the orbit about equal to the length of the head. 

 First spine very short, second rather stout and with, a simple serration ante- 

 riorly, the serrae closely appressed to the spine (the spines all broken at 

 their tips). 



The second dorsal begins at a distance from the first about equal to the length 

 of the upper jaw. 



The anal is high, its average rays being about three times as long as tlio^e in 

 the dorsal. It is inserted sliglitly behind the perpendicular fnmi the List ray 

 of the fir.st dorsal. The pectoral is inserted over the base of the ventral (its 



