DISCUSSION OF SPECIES AND THEIR DISTRIBUTION. 45 



cave between the orbits, with a convexity above the snout. Width of the iiilerorbital space 

 about e(iual to the diameter of the eye. The length of the snout contained Si times in tliat 

 of the head. Eye large, a little longer than deep, contained 42 times in the length of the 

 head and U times in the length of the snout. Infraorbital ring very narrow. The maxd- 

 l-,rv is broad, large, and conspicuously dilated at the extremity, its greatest width at this 

 point beino- more than two-thirds the diameter of the eye. (Jleft of the mouth wide. Den- 

 tition feebfe; no traces of tveth upon either vomer or palatine.' Branchiostegals o, long 

 and slender. Gills 4. Gill laniiine short, especially on tlie convex portion of the arches. 

 GiU rakers long, stroiiff, broad at the base; 6+1- on the outer arch. 



Vent placed equidistant from root of caudal and root of pect.nal. The origin of the dorsal 

 over the vent: slightly in advance of that of the anal. Dorsal tin longer than high, its 

 anterior ravs increasing in length to the middle of the tin, the longest ray cutamed 3^ m 

 ienoth of head, and ab..ut c-iual to the h.ngest ray of the anal. Caudal fin deeply emarg-i- 

 natt Pectoral inserted far below the middle of the body. It has a narrow base, and is 

 len-th in a perfect specimen is probably not greater than the diameter of tin* eye. \ imtrals 

 dose together, remote from the vent, the root being nearly midway between the root ot the 

 caudal and the tip of the snout, and e.,uidistant from the ro..t of the anal and the base of 



^^^ SaCdeciduous, .vcloi,!, 4r, or 4S in the lateral line, the lateral line beginning from a 

 point on a level with the top of the eye, and asc-ending in a broad curve to a point over the 

 ventrals, and thence in a straight line to the root of the caudal. Color, bluish black. 

 Itadial formula: B. ."> (!); D. -'2; A. lil; V. 7; P. S. . . , 



A .inole spe.-imen, 144 inches in length, was <.(.tained by the Fish Commission steamer 

 Albairo^s^fiom station 2793, Lat. 01° 03' N., Ion. 80o 15' W., in 741 tathoms. 



BATHYTROCTES ATTRITUS, VaillAxNT. 

 Ba,l,,iroc,es aUrU,.s, Va.li^t, Ex,. Sci. TravaiU.ur et T.li.ma,,. Poi.«,.us, 1888, 158. pi. xn, fi^. 2 (.true- 

 tural details). 



This name was given bv Yaillant to certain mutilated fishes obtained Irmn the Azo.."s 

 Cape Yerde and Banc d'Arguin, at 1,550 to 3,.;55 metres If they belong to ^ "'M'-"*-^ 

 all the'^^ear to resemble^nost closely B. .nelanorcpJ,aU,s. Cntil fresh material shall be 

 obtained, it seems doubtful whether B. attritm is a valid species. 



NARCETES, Alcock. 

 XarrrUs AlCOCK Ann. and Ma-. Nat. Hist., 18110, ii. oOS, vii, ISill, I, 10. „ , . 



2^7n BaU,yfro.k n.ther elongate, compressed, covere.l with scales of moderal. 

 size Eve rather small. Cleft of mouth wide, the maxillary extending beyond the ^e.t cal 

 Zul^iiiSdW^ieeye. Teeth in premaxiHary and maiidildelbie^n^^ 



teeth^n maxillary, palatines and vomer; no ^^^^^^^^^^ tl ^^d^^r C^nllal 

 short, the former beginning m vertical from origin .1 % . ntral. x^o a p e 

 symmetrically forked. Gill openings wide. ^^^^^^^^^^^J^^^ ^yl ; c api^nd- 

 plete; 7 branchiostegals; 4 gills, with narrow lamm*. Gill lAeislon,. i^jiom u 



'"'^hJ^^Stlds t!;; is XareeUs ere.ilas, Ah.ock (1. c), obtained by the Inrcsfioafor 

 inth^ AraSln^a (^.Ition 105) at a depth of 740 Mhoms The description is based upon 

 two female specimens, measuring 134 ami n inches respectively. 



PLATYTROCTES, Gunther. 



PWytrocUs, Gt^Kxn.n, Ann. and Mag. Nat. Hist., 1878, „. .49; Challenger Kepc.^ "''rUeeled scales. 



Bodv rather abbreviated, much compressed, and covered 7"\, j" ^;\ "^ ^ ' 

 Mouth of moderate width; the --iHary and intern.axdl^^u.<^imu d bh -ed.itha 



single series of small teeth. Palate smooth. Eyej-athei laige^hc .lm.ai 



-;^,;,.i;;;;;,^,;^t7tl^^^^ '* ^« ^ ^oo-l character U .ay necesaitatc tUe 



formation of another subgenus. 



