DISCUSSION OF SPECIKS AND illElK DISTRIBUTION, 37 



ALEPOCEPHALUS AGASSIZII, Goouk ami Hean. (Fijcnre 15.) 



AUpoeephahts Ji/asshii, GooDE and Bean, lUill. Mns. Couip. Zoiil., x, 218, 188l*.— Joudax, Cat. Fish. N. ,\iner., 

 1885, 31.— GfXTiiER, Challenger Report, .xxii, 2L'::i. 



Height of body slightly more than five times in its length ; its width about half its lieiglit ; 

 caudal rays somewhat compressed. Least height ofthe tail, 12 times in length of the body. 



Scales ovate-lanceolate, parchment-like, smaller than in A. Buirdii (the specimen is 

 almost denuded of scales, and their arrangement in the drawing has been in part made out 

 from their impressions upon the skin). There are !tO scales in the lateral line, 10 between 

 lateral line and origin of dorsal, 11 between same and origin of anal. Base of dorsal is 

 squamose, anal slightly so. 



Head somewhat compressed, its length contained 3 times in the length of the body, 

 slightly exceeding twice the length ofthe lower jaw, and -i times the least height of tail. 

 Sncmt eonically elongate, the lower jaw sslightly produced. Width of head slightly less than 

 length of operculum, and 9.J times in lengtli of body. Dentition as in A. lUtirdii. 



Length of snout half that of mandible, which is one-sixth of total length. Diameter 

 of orbit KU in total length of body. 



Insertion of dorsal immediately above vent; the distance of its origin from the base of 

 middle caudal rays equal to one-third of di.stance from same to anterior margin of orbit, 

 and at distance from snout much greater than two-thiids total length of body. The length 

 of its l)ase is equal to one-eighth of total length. 



Origin of the anal is under second ray of dorsal; its length of base slightly more than 

 one-seventh of body length, and equal to height ol' tlie body at vent. 



Distance of pectoral IVom snout c(iual to one-third of body length and 4i times least 

 height of tail. Its length equal to the diameter of orbit and eontained lOi times in total 

 length. Origin of pectoral is close behind the end ofthe opercular flap, while in A. Bairdii 

 it is s(>parated therefrom by four lows of scales. 



Distance of ventral from smait considerably less than twice the length of the head. Its 

 length (i)robably) about one-sixth that of the head. 



Radial formula: D. 15; A. 17; C. 19; P. 11 ; Y. 1, 5 ("?); L. lat. 00. 



Color dark, head and fins nearly black. 



A single specimen was obtained at station 3.'>8, in OL'2 fathoms, lat. 38° IS' 40" N., lou. 

 73° 18' 10" W. 



Other specimens were obtained by the AlhaUosx asfidhiws: Xo. 38209, U. S. X. IM., sa 

 inches in length, in 36° 30' X. lat., 74° 33' W. h)n., at a depth of sr/l latlioms; Xo. S.mIS, 

 U. S. ISr. M., from station 2201 in 39° 39' 45" N. lat., 71° 35' 15" W. Ion., at a depth of rm 

 fathoms: Xo. 33391, U. S. X. M., from station 2072 in 41© 53' X. lat., C5o 35' W. Ion., at a 

 depth of 8.-,8fath(mis ; Xo. 33377, U. S. X. M., from station 2075 in 41° 40' 30" X. lat., 65° 

 35' W. Ion., at a depth of 855 fathoms; Xo. 33325, U. S. X. JL, fr.nn station 2051 in 39° 41' 

 X. lat., 69° 20' 20" W. Ion., at a depth of 1,10G fathoms; Xo. 35030, U. S. X. M., from sta- 

 tion 2233 in 38° 36'30"X^. lat., 73^ 0(i' W. hm., at a depth of 020 fathoms; and two others, 

 one from station 2530 in 40° 53' 30" X. lat., 66° 24' W. Ion., at a depth of 956 t\ithoms, 

 and one from station 2117 in 15° 24' 40" X. lat., 63° 31' 30" W. Ion., at a dejitli of 083 

 fathoms. 



ALEPOC:EPHALrS PRODUCTIIS, Gill. (Figure 46.) 



JlepocepJitiliisprodiicluii, GiLL ,Proc. U. S. Nat. Mus., vi, 1888, p. 256.— GfxTHER, Cliallciiger Rcpoit, 1887, \>. 223. 



An Alepocepkalus resembling A. Agassizii in form and proportions, but witli larger 

 scales, smaller eye, and longer snout. 



The body is quite robust, its height at the pectoral origin nearly one-fourth of the length 

 from the .snout to the base of che median caudal rays. Least height of tlie tail about one- 

 half the body in length. The head forms more than one-third (35.5) of the total length. 

 The snout equals one-third of the length of the head, the eye nearly one tburth, and the 

 posterior margin of the orbit is nearly equidistant between the snout and the opercuhir 



