PROCEEDINGS OP UNITED STATES NATIONAL MUSEUM. 47 



it was colorless, almost translucent, and was covered witli a thick tough 

 integument. The following description is less complete than would 

 seem desirable, owing to the fact that the unique specimen (No. 22,310, 

 U. S. ]S"at. Mus. Cat.) was too soft and tender to admit of the requisite 

 manipulation. The specimen, which is 50 millimetres in total length 

 (caudal included), is a mature female, having in the abdominal cavity 

 msiTij large eggs. 



Description. — The body is thick, subcylindrical anteriorly, rapidly 

 tapering to the tail, covered with a thick lax integument; its greatest 

 height (.25) equals the length Ox" the head and is one-fourth of the total 

 length of the body without caudal. 



The head is somewhat tumescent at the nape; its height (over the 

 ventral disc and eyes) contained something over six times in the length 

 of the body; its greatest width (.18) very slightly greater and equaling 

 twice the width of the ventral disc. The snout is broad, with promi- 

 nent vertical profile; its length about one-fourth that of the head. The 

 cleft of the mouth is horizontal, and does not extend to the perpendicu- 

 lar from the anterior margin of the orbit. The lips are covered with 

 thick lax skin, the upper jaw extending beyond the lower. 



The length of the upper jaw is about one-third of the length of the 

 head; that of the mandible slightly greater than the length of the ven- 

 tral disc. Each jaw armed with a band of villiform teeth. The tongue 

 is thick, obtuse. The eye is lateral, not interfering with the ui)per pro- 

 file of the head; its diameter (.07) more than one-fourth of the length of 

 the head, and coutained about fourteen times in the length of the l)ody. 

 The width of the interorbital area is contained two and one-half times 

 in the length of the head. The nostril is close to the eye. The gill- 

 opening is a vertical slit, extending upon the upper part of the root of 

 the pectoral. 



The dorsal fin is inserted at a distance from the snout equal to one- 

 thiixl of the length of the body. It contains about 48 rays, though to 

 count them is almost impossible. The anal fin originates at a distance 

 from the snout equal to two-fifths of the length of the body, and in the 

 perpendicular from the eighth dorsal ray. It contains at least 48 rays. 

 The pectoral fin is moderately broad, with 15 long rays and 12 or 13 

 shorter ones. The long rays are twice as long as the ventral disc and 

 extend nearly or quite to the perpendicular from the vent. 



The ventral disc is slightly longer (.10) than its distance from the 

 snout (.00), which precisely equals its width. It has fourteen papilkT. 



The color is uniform whitish, almost colorless, and translucent in life. 



