230 PROCEEDINGS OF UNITED STATES NATIONAL MUSEUM. 



and represent as many as five groups, distinguished by characters which 

 are generally indicative of at least family value ; but the close agree- 

 ment which they otherwise exhibit among themselves forbids separation 

 to that extent, and yet the groups seem, at any rate, to demand distinc- 

 tion as sub-families. We would scarcely be prepared to believe that 

 two genera, distinguished, one by a compressed head, and the other by 

 a depressed head, could be so nearly related as are apparently Himan- 

 tolophiis and j^gcconichthys, but the modifications in question in these 

 genera are probably expressive of the compression on the one hand, 

 and the depression and bowing outwards on the other, at the hyoraan- 

 dibular articulations, and not of any fundamental osteological modifica- 

 tions. * 



With regard to the Himantolophines, there is occasion for difference 

 of opinion, and it may be that the Himantolophns GrcenJandicus and Rein, 

 hardtii do not even differ specifically. The statements by Eeinhardt as 

 to the characteristics of the former are, however, unequivocal, and, as 

 he appears to have been a careful and exact observer, they are probably 

 correct, while those of Liitken regarding the latter are unquestionable. 

 In view of the mode of variation in the family, the differences noted 

 seem to the present author to be indicative of more than specific value, 

 and consequently the respective species are considered as distant gene- 

 ric types. There is a singular agreement between the type named 

 Corynolophus and the JEgceoniclitliys of the New Zealand seas in the 

 radial formula ; and while such agreement might tend to throw doubts 

 on the actual differences supposed to exist between Corynolophus and 

 Himantoloplius, it tends far to confirm the generic value of the differ- 

 ences, if they really exist. It may even be that the two genera are not 

 as closely related as are Corynolophus and u^gwonichthys, but such is 

 scarcely probable. 



The habitats given must be regarded simply as the expressions of our 

 present state of knowledge, as it is more than probable that the ranges 

 of most of the species are quite extensive in the bathmic zone in which 

 they dwell. It is also probable that the number of representatives of 

 the family will be considerably increased hereafter. A most interesting 

 coincidence is the discovery, in the same year, of the closely related 

 HimantolophincB and ^gcconichthyince at antipodal localities. There 

 are already, too, indications of several other types, apparently members 

 of the family, but too imperfectly known to be introduced into the sys- 

 tem. The present state of our knowledge in respect to such imperfectly 

 known forms is well summarized by Dr. Liitken in the following words: — 



*'Les collections de petits poissous peches en haute mer, du Musee de 

 Copenhague,renfermeuten outrequelques Lopliioides apodesd'uue taille 

 plus petite encore (5 — S'""'), trouves en plein Ocean Atlantique, qui 

 annoncent peut-etre I'existence d'une troisi^me espece d'Himantolophe 

 ou d'un genre voisin, et different de V Himantolophus Reinliardti par le 

 nombre des rayons (D : Gj A: G; C: 10), probablement aussi par la 



