208 PROCEEDINGS OF THE NATIONAL MUSEUM. vol.42. 



tral spine short, nearly horizontal; spiny structure at angle extending 

 outward at right angles to axis of body, covered with ossicles, a well- 

 developed spine at its tip directed forward. 



Rostral tentacle short, dilated at tip; dorsal 3.83, base very short, 

 scarcely more than half diameter of eye; caudal 2,21, rounded; anal 

 3.50, base not equal to diameter of pupil; ventrals equal to caudal; 

 pectorals beyond wrist 2.40. 



Color in alcohol: Ground color above wood-brown, with 8 black 

 rings on each side median line of head; ventral surface cream-buff; 

 dorsal dusk^^, other fins very light cream-buff, almost white; peri- 

 toneum silvery. 



Type.—C2.t. No. 70270, U.S.N.M., 9.8 cm. in length, taken with a 

 beam trawl at station 5393 (lat. 12° 03' 30'' N.; long. 124° 03' 36" 

 E.), between Samar and Masbate, at a depth of 136 fathoms, on a 

 bottom of hard sand. 



This species is distinguished from M. lutea (pi. 18, fig. 2; pi. 19, 

 fig. 2) by the better development of the dermal plates, which are 

 larger and arranged with greater regularity ; plates on ventral surface 

 of disk confined to restricted areas*, rest of surface smooth; the 

 rostral spine is relatively shorter; spine at posterior angle of disk 

 directed outward, with a forward projecting spinule at tip, • In 

 M. triangularis (pi. 18, fig. 3; pi. 19, fig. 3) there are more large 

 dermal plates scattered over surface of disk, those on ventral surface 

 much enlarged, the region lymg between vent and ventrals entirely 

 paved; rostral spine directed upward, spine at posterior angle ending 

 in four transparent spinules. 



This is the most abundant species in the collection, taken at depths 

 of 38 to 425 fathoms. All of the adult specimens have the black 

 rings on dorsal surface; the young do not, though many of them 

 possess brown markings. An isopod infests the branchial region 

 just inside aperture of several specimens. 



Color in life of a specimen 7.2 cm. in length from station 5315: 

 Cinnamon brown with a series of three or four black-rimmed ocelli, 

 scarcely as large as pupil, on either side of median ridge; other areas 

 of darker browQ present, this giving an obscure mottled effect; ven- 

 tral region in front of pectorals and ventrals reddish brown. 



HALICMETUS RETICXJLATUS Smith and Radcliffe, new species. 

 Plate 20, fig. 2; plate 21, fig. 2. 



Dorsal 3; caudal 9; anal 4; ventral 5; pectoral 12. 



Head broader than long, depressed, anterior margin broadly 

 rounded, length measured to anterior margin of gill-opening 1.97, 

 breadth 1.33, depth 2.75 in its length; body short, tapering, length 

 exclusive of caudal 2.03; eye 6.60, small; snout 7.32; mouth small, 

 jaws subequal; villiform bands of teeth on jaws, vomer, palatines 



