42 



11, eller oftest 12 ordinære Straaler, der i Spidserne ere 

 klovede. Ventralstraalernes Tælling er forbunden med 

 nogen Vanskelighed paa Grand af Straalernes Tætbed og 

 dybe Kløvning; Antallet er 4. Hos det største af de un- 

 der Expeditionen erholdte Han -Individer fortsætter Mem- 

 branen 'sig som en bred Bræm langs Ydersiden af denne 

 Finne. 



De under Nordhavs-Expeditionen erholdte Individer 

 harde folgende Straaleantal : 



a. (Hun) 1D.12; 2 D.24; A.24; C. 10/12/10; P.21; l'. 4. 



b. (Han) — 10: — 24; - 24; - 10/12/6; - 18: - 4. 



c. (Hun) — 10; — 26; - 26; - lO/12/lu; - 21; - 4. 



Farvetegning. , Denne er temmelig varierende, og 

 synes at forandre sig noget under Væxten. Medens de 

 unge Individer oftest have paa den hvide eller svagt gul- 

 agtige Bundfarve 4 større, skarptbegrændsede Pletter, hvor- 

 til senere støde andre og mindre nedad Legemets Sider, 

 blive disse Pletter hos de større Individer opløste til korte 

 langsløbende eller skråa Baand, der kunne være afbrudte, 

 og delte i mindre Pletter. Denne sidste Farvetegning 

 have begge de under Expeditionen erholdte Hanner, medens ' 

 Hunnen har den mere overensstemmende med Ungernes. 

 Af Finnerne have Dorsalerne. Pectoralerne og Caudalen 

 tydelige Tverbaand. 



Størrelse. De største Individer, der hidtil ere fundne 

 af denne Art. opbevares i Musæet i Kjobenhavn, og ere 

 fra Grønland. Ifølge Dr. Liitken (1. c. p. 378) har af 

 disse en Han naaet en Totallængde af 145""", en Hun 

 endog 200""", og denne Forskjel mellem Kjønnene synes 

 at være gjennemgaaende. 



De 3 under Expeditionen erholdte Individer havde 

 følgende Maal : 



. a. Hun. 6. Han, c. Hun, 

 Jan Mayen. Spitsb. Jan Mayen. 

 Totallængde. . . . 70""" 90'""' 108""" 



Længden uden Caudal 60 - 79 - 93 - 



Hovedets Længde . . 20 - 24 - 29 - 



Øjets Diameter. . . 7 - 7,5 - 11 - 



De ved de norske Kyster hidtil fundne Individer 

 have i Regelen været smaa, og deres Totallængde aldrig 

 overskredet 102""". 



Levemaade og Føde. Som alle Arter af denne Gruppe 

 er Triglops pingelii henvist til at leve nærved eller umiddel- 

 bart paa Bunden, hvilket allerede fremgaar af Pectoraler- 

 nes Bygning, hvis nedre Straaler ere mere eller mindre 

 fri. Hos unge Individer er det dog blot Straalernes yder- 

 ste Spidser. der rage ud over Membranen; men Indsnittet 

 mellem dem tiltager med Alderen, og hos de udvoxede ere 

 de nederste Straaler skilte næsten til Granden, de nærmest 

 paafølgende noget mindre. Ialt deltage 7 — 8 Straaler heri, 

 og samtidig ere disse beklædte med en tykkere Hud. og tal- 

 lige livligere farvede, end de øvrige 13 — 14, ligesom de 

 øverste af dem ere noget længere, end de tilgrændsende 

 normale Straaler. Herved fremkommer en Tilnærmelse til 



spines, exclusive of 11, or more frequently 12 ordinary 



spines, all of which are cleft at the points. The num- 

 bering of the ventral rays is attended with some diticulty, 

 in consequence of the extreme closeness and deep furcation 

 of the rays ; they are 4 in number. In the largest of the 

 male specimens obtained on the Expedition the membrane 

 extends as a wide border along the outer margin of this fin. 

 Number of rays in the specimens taken on the North 

 Atlantic Expedition : — 



a. (female) ID. 12; 2D.24- .1.24; C.lO/12/iO; P.21: V. 4. 



b. (male) - 10; - 24; - 24; - 10/12/6; - 18; - 4. 



c. (female) — 10; — 26; - 24; - 10/12/10; - 21 ; - 4. 



Colour. — The marking is subject to considerable 

 variation in different individuals, and changes, too. appa- 

 rently, as the growth progresses. Young individuals are 

 generally characterised by having on the whitish ground- 

 colour, or rather whitish with a faint tinge of yellow. 4 

 comparatively large and well-defined spots, meeting other 

 and smaller macules disposed down the sides of the body, 

 whereas in more mature examples these spots break up, 

 appearing as a number of horizontal or oblique bauds, 

 sometimes disrupted into smaller spots. The latter marking 

 distinguishes both of the male specimens taken on the 

 Expedition ; the female bore in this respect a greater 

 resemblance to the young individuals. Well-defined trans- 

 verse bands on the dorsals, the pectorals, and the caudal. 



Dimensions. — The largest individuals of this species 

 hitherto met witli are preserved in the Zoological Museum 

 at Copenhagen ; they were sent from Greenland. Accord- 

 ing to Dr. Liitken, one male has attained a total length 

 of 145""", a female 200""" even; and this difference in size 

 between the sexes would appear to be characteristic. 



Measurements of the three specimens obtained on the 

 Expedition : — 



a. Female, h. Male. o. Female. 

 Jan Mayen. Spitzb. Jan Mayen. 

 Total length . . . 70""" 90'"'" 108""" 



Length excl. of caudal 60 - 79 - 93 - 



Length of head . . 20 - 24 - 29 - 



Diameter of eye . . 7 - 7.5 - 11- 



Most of the individuals hitherto observed on the 

 Norwegian coast have been small, their total length not 

 exceeding 102""". 



Habits and Food. - In common with all other species 

 of this Arctic group, Triglops pingelii occurs immediately on, 

 or in close proximity to, the bottom, a fact necessarily in- 

 volved in the structure of the pectorals, the lower rays 

 being to a greater or less extent free. In young indi- 

 viduals, however, the extreme points only are found to have 

 pierced the membranous integument; but the incision conti- 

 nues to deepen with the growth, and in mature examples 

 the lowermost rays are cleft almost to the base, those 

 next above them to a somewhat less extent. This charac- 

 teristic feature is shared by 7 — 8 of the rays, which have 

 a thicker integument and a deeper colour than the 

 rest (13 — 14); moreover, the uppermost are of somewhat 



