Jordan atid ETermatm. — Fishes of North America. 971 



caudal, the caudal peduncle being about as deep as long; this fin rather 

 low, the longest rays, behind the middle of fin, being not erectile into a 

 vertical position ; caudal fin (slightly injured) with a rounded margin, 

 and rather shorter than theliead; pectoral fin with a broad base, more 

 than half as long as head, and with the upper rays longer than the lower ; 

 ventrals rather small, close together, inserted in advance of pectorals. 

 The entire fish is covered with minute, cycloid scales ; on the head they 

 appear to be present on the cheek only ; upper part of the head covered 

 with a thick, spongy skin, as in Cvntroloiyhm. Color in life a pale greenish 

 olive, marbled with darker, the markings being in the form of spots on 

 the upper and in irregular longitudinal bands on the lower half of the 

 body ; vertical fins also spotted with blackish ; iris nearly white, a ring 

 of small white pores encircling the orbit. The specimen described is 91 

 inches long and in good condition, with the exception of the lower part 

 of the abdomen, which is lacerated and shrunk in consequence of the loss 

 of the intestines. All parts of the body are in that state of softness which 

 is peculiar to many deep-sea fishes. (Giinther.) Pelagic, the young 

 abundant in the mid-Atlantic, the adult taken in the Mediterranean, ott" 

 Ireland and ofi^ Samoa. " This is primarily a pelagic surface form, but it 

 seems very possible that it inhabits the middle or lower strata of the ocean 

 as well. Dr. Giinther says that it is evident that at least in the adult 

 state, it descends to some depths. The want of firmness in the tissues 

 seems to clearly indicate it as a deep sea fish. He hazards the opinion 

 that the depth to which it may descend probably does not exceed 100 

 fathoms. Calling attention to the fact that the young of the species are 

 much more frequently found near the surface than the adnlt, he mentions 

 the habit of this and similar forms of congregating around the floating 

 Medusw, and also questions the accuracy of the theory that fish ever feed 

 upon Medusa', since he says the fish could draw but little nourishment 

 from these animals. As a matter of fact, many of our surface oceanic 

 fishes feed voraciously upon various forms of Medusae and upon Saljya. 

 We have often taken large quantities of thiskind of food from thestomachs 

 of various surface Scomhroids, as well as from Alutera and J/o?a. Dr. Giin- 

 ther's full description, which is quoted above, is taken from a specimen 

 obtained at Port Rush, County Antrim, Ireland, in August, 1878, captured 

 in a salmon net. Mr. Ogilby, who sent it to the British Museum, was very 

 much impressed by the softness of the flesh. ' It was,' he says, ' the 

 most delicate adult fish I ever handled; so much so, that within tAventy- 

 four hours after its capture the skin of the belly and the intestines fell 

 off when it was lifted, and it felt in the hand quite soft and boneless.' 

 This is quoted to emphasize what has been said regarding the softness of 

 its tissues, and its similarity in this respect to the fishes inhabiting the 

 abyss." (Goode «fe Bean.) (J/a/MSrt, jelly-fish; ^ajai, to eat.) (Eu.) 



SchedophilusmediiKophagus, Cocco, Giom. Innom. Messina, in, 7, 57, 1834, Messina; GCsTnER, Cat., 

 II, 412, 1860; Gi'NTiiER, Deep-Sea Fislios, Challenger, 46, 1887; GooitE & Bean, Oceanic 

 Ichth., 214, 1895. 



Criiie hertheloU, Valenciennes, Voy. Canaricij, Poiss., 43, 1836-1844, Canaries. 



