152 DEEP-SEA FISHES OP THE ATLANTIC BASIN. 



NEMICHTHYS SCOLOPACEUS, RicnARDSON. (Figun; 170.) 



Xemichthiis seolopaceus, Richardson, Voyage Samarang, Fishes, 25, PI. x, Figs. 1-3.— GCntheu, Cat. Fish. 



Brit. Mus., VIII, 210; Challenger Report, xxii, 263.— GoouE, Proc. U. S. Nat. Mus., iii, 1880, 485.— 



GooDE and Bean, Bull. Mus. Couip. Zool., x, 1883, 225.— Jordan and Gilbert, Bui. xvi, U. S. Nat. 



Mus., 366. — Vaillant, Exp. Sci. Travailleur et Talisman, Pois8.,93, PI. vii, Figs. 2, 2a.— Jordan and 



Davis, Rep.U. S. F. C, 1888 (1891) 657. 

 I.eptorhynchiis Lcuchtenbcryii, Lowe, Mem. Sav. EtrangiTes, St. Petersburg, vii, 1854, 171. 

 lidonopsis Leuchtenbergii, Brandt, op. cit. , 174, figure. 



Head comparatively stout, its depth one-seventh its greatest length. Eye moderate, 

 less than one-third the length of the head without snout. Length of pectoral fins slightly 

 less than height of the anal, which is less than the height of the body and ratlier more than 

 the greatest depth of the head. Pale above, belly and anal fin blackish, the color not 

 abruptly changing, the back somewhat speckled. 



This most remarkable species was first obtained by H. M. S. ISamarang in the South 

 Atlantic in 1840, and a little later by the indefatigable Lowe at Madeira. In 1879, when the 

 Fish Commission had its headquarters at Gloucester, a third sjiccimen was obtained by us 

 from a George's Bank fisherman, who had preserved it in a whisky bottle, and who was 

 induced to part with it in barter for a five-dollar bill. 



In 1881, the Fish HawJc while at work in 252 fathoms off Jfewport, brought up a small 

 specimen, clinging by its long jaws to the outside of the trawl net. Since then, the Alba- 

 tross and the Blalce have obtained numerous specimens, off the South Atlantic coast in 300 

 to 1,000 fathoms. Vaillant has a magnificent specimen, 650 millimeters long, obtained in 

 1888 meters on the Banc d'Arguin. The Challenger did not obtain a single specimen. 



The following is a list of localities whence this species has been obtained by the Alba- 

 tross : 



No. 35632, U. S. N. M., from station 2235, in 39° 12' N. lat., 72° 03' 30" W. Ion., at a depth 

 of 707 fathoms; No. 32674, U. S. N. M., from station 2002, in 37° 20' 42" N. lat., 74° 17' 36' W. 

 h)n., at a depth of 041 fathoms ; No. 35401, IT. S. N. M., from station 2181, in 39° 29' N. lat., 

 710 46' W. Ion., at a depth of 693 tathouis; No. 35617, U. S. N. M., from station 2203, in 39° 

 34' 15" N. lat., 71° 41' 15" W. Ion., at a depth of 705 fathoms; No. 32649, U. S. N, M. (4 

 specimens), from station 2001, in 37° 46' 30" N. lat., 74° W. Ion., at a depth of 519 

 fathoms; No. 35402, U. S. N. M., from station 2182, in 39° 25' 30" N. lat., 71° 44' W. Ion., at 

 a depth of 861 fathoms; No. 35459, U. S. N. M., from station 2187, in 39° 49' 30" N. lat., 71° 

 10' W. Ion., at a depth of 420 fathoms; No. 33290, U. S. N. M., from station 2039, in 38° 19' 

 26" N. lat., 680 20' 20" W. Ion., at a depth of 2,369 fathoms; and from stations 2023, in 37° 48' 

 N. lat., 740 01' 30" W. Ion., at a depth of 377 fathoms; 2561, in 39'= 38' N. lat., 71° 42' W. 

 Ion., at a depth of 500 fathoms; 2530, in 40° 53' 30" N. lat., 66° 24' W, Ion., at a depth of 956 

 fathoms; 2533, in 40° 16' 30" N. lat., 67° 26' 15" W. Ion., at a depth of 828 fathoms; and 

 2528, in 41© 47' N. hit., 65o 37' 30" W. loii., at a, deptli of 677 fathoms. 



Specimens were taken by the steamer Fish Hawk, as follows : No. 29066, U. S. N. M., fi-om 

 station 1048, in 38° 29' N. lat., 73° 21' W. Ion., at a depth of 435 fathoms; No. 29073, U. S. 

 N. M., frcmi station 1049, in 38° 28' N. lat., 73° 22' W. Ion., at a depth of 435 fathoms; No. 

 26100, U. S. N. M., from station 880, iu 39° 48' 30" N. lat., 70° 54' W. Ion., at a depth of 225 

 fathoms; No. 28767 (2 specimens), U. S. N. M., from station 938, in 39° 51' N. lat., 69° 49' 

 15" W. Ion., at a depth of 317 fathoms; No. 28854, U. S. N. M., from station 952, in 30° 55' 

 N. lat., 700 28' W. Ion., at a dei)tli of 396 fatlioms; No. 28905, U. S. N. M., from station 1025, 

 in 390 49' N. lat., 71° 25' W. Ion., at a deptli of 216 fathoms; No. 28761, U. S. N. M., from 

 station 937, in 39° 49' 25" N. lat., 69° 49' W. Ion., at a depth of 616 fathoms; and No. 28897, 

 from station 997, in 39o 42' N. lat., 71° 32' W. Ion., at a depth of 335 fathoms. 



Specimens were also taken by the Blake, from station CCCiii, in 41° 34' 30" N. lat., 

 65° 54' 30" W. Ion., at a depth of 300 fathoms; station cccix, in 40° 11' 40" N. lat., 68° 

 22' W. Ion., at a depth of 304 fathoms; station cocvi, in 41^ 32' 30" N. lat., 05° 55' W. Ion., 

 at a depth of 524 fathoms; station cccxxx, in 31° 41' N. lat., 74° 35' W. Ion., at a depth 



