^%T7'] PROCEEDINGS OF THE NATIONAL MUSEUM. 545 



tion of the dorsal nud aiial. As the scales were wautiiig and the skin 

 largely abraded in tbe type of niger, it may be that the scales along 

 lateral line were in reality enlarged in that species. 



Lateral line 37. D. 16 ; A. 19. Head 3^ in length ; depth 5^. 



Eye small, slightly longer than snout, 5.^ in head. In three speci- 

 men smaller than the type, the eye is 5^ in the head instead of larger, 

 but they agree in all other respects. 



Interorbital width 3;^ in head. Maxillary not quite reaching anterior 

 margin of preopercle, dilated slightly at extreme tip. Preopercular 

 margin very oblique. Gill-rakers distant, slender, toothed, 5 + 10 in 

 number, the anterior two very small. A deep oval depression without 

 median crest on interorbital space and occiput, apparently covered in 

 the fresh state by membrane. Ethmoidal ridge not high. 



Teeth on vomer evident, separated by a median groove into two <l-is- 

 tinct patches, each of which is separated from the palatine patch by a 

 very short interspace. 



Front of dorsal slightly nearer adipose fin than eye. Base of tin 

 equals length of maxillary; its origin is over axil of ventrals, and its 

 last ray is over the sixth of the anal. Height of dorsal equals tke 

 length of its base. 



Origin of anal falls under the fourth from the last ray of the dorsal, 

 and its last ray is slightly behind the adipose dorsal. 



Pectorals very slender, with fourteen rays, the upper filamentous and 

 produced to opposite base of ventrals. 



Ventrals with nine rays, the outer rudimentary, their tips reaching 

 vent. 



Scales entire, those along lateral line enlarged. 



Color in spirits, uniform black on head, body, and fins, the inner rays 

 of ventrals with a white blotch ; a cream-colored streak on upper and 

 one on lower side of tail. These streaks include three scales on back 

 of tail, and eight below. 



Three pairs of i)hosphorescent spots visible behind shoulder girdle, 

 one of these on base of pectorals. A spot on the fourth scale behind 

 pectorals, and another behind it and nearer the lateral line. Six pairs 

 of spots in front of ventrals, three between ventrals and anal, and 

 eleven at base of anal, seven along base of caudal peduncle, and three 

 at base of lower caudal lobe. A spot is present half way between vent 

 and lateral line, and one above fourth to last anal ray. 



The type is a large specimen, about 5 inches long, taken at Station 

 2923, in 822 fathoms. Three smaller specimens were taken at Stations 

 2980 and 3070, in 003 and G3G fathoms. 



8. Alepocephalus tenebrosua sp. nov. 



Most nearly related to Alepocejyhalus agassizii, differing in the follow- 

 ing respects: 



Scales in a series from front of dorsal to lateral line more numerous, 

 15 or IG in number (instead of 10). 

 Proc. N. M. 91 35 



