416 NEfV FISHES FROM PACIFIC OCEJX— GILBERT 4' CRAMER, vol, xix. 



dorsal and the anterior rays of the anal ; pectorals dusky, other fins pale ; 

 a black area on posterior part of peduncle and two black spots at the 

 base of the dorsal and ventral caudal rays. Peritoneum bhulc. 



One specimen, 3i inches long, considerably injured about head and 

 fins. Station 3472; 295 fathoms. 



Ty2)e.—:so. 47708, U.S.N.M. 



Family STEKNOPTYCHID^E. 



POLYIPNUS SPINOSUS, Giinther. 

 One specimen, 2 inches long. .Station 347(); 2().S fathoms. 



3TERNOPTYX DIAPHANA (Hermann). 



Two specimens, 1^ inches long, from station 3473; 313 fathoms. 



LocalUij. — Atlantic and Pacific. (liinther describes two forms of 

 this species. These two specimens belong to the form with larger eye, 

 and the upi)er part of the mouth conspicuously above the level of the 

 lower margin of the orbit. 



MELANOSTOMA ARGYREUM, new species. 

 (I'latt- XXXIX, tig. 3.) 



Head 2J; depth 33. D. IX-I, 9; A. II, 7: V. 14. 15; V. 1. :.: lateral 

 line 28 to 29 (+2, 3 on tail). 



Body elongate, compressed, its width at base of pectorals nearly 2 in 

 the depth. Least depth of caudal peduncle 2:^ in greatest depth of body. 

 Head compressed, its greatest width 1.^ in the greatest depth. Dorsal 

 -nd ventral i)rofiles convex, simili:\ Orbit large, 3 to 3;^ in head, 

 interorbital space convex, its width a little less than orbit, divi«led into 

 ireas by a series of low, thin ridges; one of these, not quite as long as 

 the snout, extends forward along the median line of the occiput to 

 about the vertical from the posterior margin of the orbit : on each side 

 of this, a little behind its anterior end, begins a curved ridge which 

 runs forward ami ontward to about the vertical from the hinder e<lge 

 of the pupil and thenceforward and inward to the median line between 

 the anterior nares. these symmetrical ridges forming a pear-shai)ed 

 figure with its pointed end directed forward; on each side, at the 

 greatest convexity of the above ridges, at the vertical of the posterior 

 margin of the pupil, begins another ridge which runs straight forward 

 and outward close to the antero-dorsal margin of the orbit, then curves 

 inward and forward inside of the nares to a point in advance of the 

 anterior nares and not far from the middle line. 



Snout l.\ in orbit, its tip about on a level with the lower margin of 

 the jmpil. Posterior nares narrow, vertical slits close in front of rim 

 of orbit, on a level with upper rim of pupil; anterior nares small, cir- 

 cular; the distance between the posterior and anterior nares ~> in orbit. 



