166 



DEEP-SEA FISHES OF THE ATLANTIC BASIN. 



eriibly elevated; the length of its lougest rays is about equal to that of the snout, from 

 which point it slopes rapidly to the tip of the tail. The pectoral, placed high up in the 

 middle axis of the body, is inserted at some distance behind the gill openings, and is broad 

 and nciarly oval in shape. Ventrals continent, some distance in advance of the veut, stout, 

 broad, ovate in form, not extending to the vent, but separated from it by a distance equal 

 to half their own length. Color, uniform light brown. 



Eadial formula: D. xi; A. xviii. 



This descrii)tion is prepared from the types of Gill, (Cat. No. 37856, U, S. N. M.,) from 

 Albatross station 2677, N. lat., 32° 39', W. Ion. 76° 50' 30", in 478 fathoms. The types, two 

 in number, measure Hi and 12.J inches, respectively. Another specimen. Cat. No. 44246, U. 

 S. N. M., was obtained "by the Albatross from station 2676, in 32° 39' N. lat., 70° 01' W. Ion., 

 at a depth of 407 fathoms. 



NOTACANTHUS BONAPARTII, Kisso. (Figuro 185.) 



Noiacanthus Bnnapm-ie, Risso, Wiegm. Aichiv f. Naturgescli., 1840, 376, pi. x. 



Notacanihus l>onap(tiiii, De Filippi & Vkrany, Mem. Ace. Sci. Torino, xviii, 1857, 180. — Canestrini, Pesci 



d'ltalia, 118.— .MdReau, Hist. Nat. Poiss. France, 1881, 161.— Giglioli, Elenco, S'S. 

 Noiacanthus mcditeri-aneiis, Dk Fir.U'Pi and Verany, Menior. Accad. Sci. Torin., '2ud series, xviii, 1859. 190 (nota 



s>q>ra); Alcuni Pesci del Mcditerraiico, 1857, 3. — Guntiieu, Cat. Fish. Brit. Mus., iii, 545. — Canestrini, 



Pesci d'ltalia, 1872, 118.— Moreau, Hist. Nat. Poiss. France, 1881, in, 158 (woodcut). — Vaili.ant, Exp. 



Sci. Trav. et Tal., 317, 325; pi. xxvii. 



A Wotacanthus, with body slender, comparatively elongate, little higher over ventrals 

 than over iiectoralsj with its lateral line inconspicuous, nearer to the dorsal than to the 



Facsimile of figure of NotacanthuB lionnparti in Ttisso's MS. — From tracing by Professor frigli<ili 



ventral outline, not arched anteriorly. Snout produced and (•omi)ressc(l. Palatine teeth 

 in a single series. Ventrals joined by a membrane of considerable width between the 

 internal rays. The height of the body is about one-thirteenth of its length ; its thickness 

 about one-twentieth. The tail does not appear to be in the least truncated, though .so 

 described by certain authors, one of whom in his figure shows a tail carried to an acute 

 point, making the length of the body considerably greater in proportion to its height than 

 is indicated in his own description. Color, yellowish, with silvery reflections; the limb of 

 tlie operculum, tlie margin of the orbit, and the month darker. 



Radial formula: D. vi-vii; A. xii-lOO+j Y. ii,iii-6 (iv-8 according to De Filippi and 

 Verany). 



This form was carefully figured and described by Risso in 1840. Fie had a single speci- 

 men, 148 millimeters long, which he recognized as an inhabitant of abyssal depths (Scjour 

 abymes marines vaseux). By some error, his description and figure, otherwise perfectly con- 

 sistent, disagreed in respect to the number of spines in the dorsal fin, the figure showing 

 seven, the description nine. Misled by this.De Filippi and Verany redcscribed the same fi.sh 

 in 1859, and to justify their course proposed the theory that Risso's description and figure 



