Jordan and Evermann. — Fishes of North America. 365 



of vomer reaching back to front of posterior nostril ; gill openings with 

 their margins much curved, forming | of a circle, tiieir vertical diameter 

 nearly equal to that of eye, and more than twice the length of the inter- 

 jgpace; gape 2| in head; body 3i in tail; dorsal beginning 1^ length of 

 head behind the same. Coior dusky olive, dotted with coarse brown 

 specks everywhere except on under side of head and fins ; blackish streak 

 on median line of belly ; tins translucent. (Gilbert.) Coast of Ecuador, 

 at Albatross station 2792, in 401 fathoms. (Jiquator, Ecuador, Equator, the 

 great circle of latitude of the earth.) 



Chlopsis eqnutorialiii, Gilbert, Proc. U. S. Nat. Mus., ISUl, 347, off Coast of Ecuador, Lat. 

 1° S.,Long. 8i° W. (Coll. Albatross.) 



i66. VENEFICA, Jordan & Davis. 



Venefica, Jordan A: Davis, Apodal Fishes, 651, 1892, {jjroccnim). 



This genus sufficiently described above, differs from the European genus 

 Xettastoma, only in the presence of a fleshy proboscis on the tij) of the 

 snout. Two species known. ( Veuvjha, sorceress, from the name Sorciere, 

 used at Nice for Nettastoma mcJanurum. ) 



599. VENEFICA PKOCEKA, Goode & Bean. 



Body very elongate, compressed, tapering to a very slender attenuate 

 point; its greatest height contained nearly 4 times in distance from gill 

 opening to tip of lower jaw, and equals half length of snout. Head 

 slender, conical; jaws somewhat depressed; upper jaw heavier and 

 thicker, and projecting beyond the lower a distance equal to eye. Length 

 of snout equal to distance from posterior margin of orbit to gill opening; 

 cleft of mouth extending behind eye a distance equal to orbit. On 

 each side of upper jaw, and in advance of eye, are twelve pores; behind 

 each eye are three pores, while on median line, on top of upper jaw, are 

 several pores posteriorly arranged in pairs, of which there are four, the 

 ultimate pair being between the posterior nostrils. A pair of pores upon 

 nape, connecting postorbital rows, and seventeen on each side of mandi- 

 ble. Mandibular series continued by another series extending over 

 cheeks and nape. Snout with a slender, filamentous tip, whose 

 length is equal to twice eye. Tongue apparently absent. Teeth 

 SiTTanged as in Xettastoma mclanur urn, hnt exceedingly small. Dorsal fin 

 commencing above gill opening. Anal inserted at a distance from 

 snout equal to Sj times length of head. Tail twice as long as rest of 

 body. Lateral line highly specialized, with numerous pores, correspond- 

 ing in general character to those upon the head, and arranged in a deep 

 furrow, their distances apart being about the same as in the case of those 

 upon the head. Height of dorsal and anal fins about equal to half the 

 height of body. Color, apparently, brownish; peritoneum black. Types, 

 two fislies obtained at station 325, N. lat. 33° 35^ 20^^ W. long. 76°, at a 

 depth of 647 fathoms. Another nmtilated specimen, about 190 millimeters 

 long, taken at station 327. This species is in many respects closely allied 

 to Xcttastotna melanurum of the Mediterranean, but appears to difter 

 from it in the greater length of the tail, the much smaller teeth, and in 



