IQ ART. 2.— BASHF0RD DEAN. 



males and a female. The former measures 64 and 70 cm. the latter 

 80 cm. I learn, however, from Kuma Aoki, the skilful collector of 

 the Misaki station, through whom I secured the specimens, that 

 this species is not uncommon in the region " Outside Okinosé." 

 Okinosé,* it may be remarked, is one of the well-known fishing 

 banks off the mouth af the bay of Tokyo, long famous as a collecting 

 ground of glass sponges. The southern end of this bank deepens 

 suddenly from forty to about three hundred fathoms, within a surfece 

 distance of about a kilometer. The present specimens were taken in 

 water of four hundred fathoms in a tract well known to the fishermen 

 by a name equivalent to " myxine ground." Kuma tells me, fur- 

 thermore, that this particular species is in especial disfavour with the 

 fishermen on account of the great amount of slime with which it 

 befouls the trawl-lines. This can readily be believed, judging from 

 the large size of the present specimens. 



In point of size, if it is fair to conclude from but the three 

 specimens examined, H. okinoseana is the largest myxinoid known. 

 It is stout moreover in proportion to its length, as is shown in the 

 accompanying figures (Text-figure 2, A — E p. 11), f of five species 

 of myxinoids, which have been drawn in ventral aspect and reduced to 

 a common scale. In each of the three specimens examined, eight 

 branchial openings are present on either side. And in each case, as 

 dissection shows, the eighth branchial sac is present on the left side, 

 its outer duct merging into the ductus œsophagœus near its external 



* Cf. I. Ijima. Studios ou the Hexactinellida. J. Sei. Coll. Tokyo. Vol. XV, 1901, p. 8. 

 t Text Figs. 2 Various myxinoidsi ventral aspect, reduced to common length. 



A. Homea stouti Lockington. 



B. „ okinoseana Dean. 



C. „ bürgert Girard. 



D. ,, Paramyxine\atami I>ean. 



E. ,, Myxine garmani Jordan and Synder. 



