DISCUSSION OF SFECIES AND THEIR DISTRIBUTION. 177 



"The fishermen affirm convt'tl.y that this superior degree of whiteness wlieii first cap- 

 tured is constant in this species, their Alfoimu a caxta cumpridu, as (;oiiii)are(l witii H. 

 (hwadacti/liis, Cnv., their Al/onsiu a casta Ian/a, which is from tlie liist iiior(! generally 

 scarlet or high colored. It is also remarkable that the i)alecolore(l month is cliaractfristic 

 of the outwardly richer colored species; while in the paler, B. splcndem, the mouth inter- 

 nally is full bright red." 



Radial formula: D. ly, 13-15. A. iv, 25-29. V. i, 7 -f. 



This species, originally described by Lowe in 1833, was, as' has already been stated, 

 erroneously represented in the Cambridge Philosophical Transactions, by a tigure of the other 

 species. In Madeiran waters it is equally abundant with JJ. decadactylm, but it has not been 

 identified from the Lusitanian coast. A single si)ecimen was obtained by the steamer 

 Albatross at a deplh of 424 fathoms from station 2415, in 35'^ 49' 30' N. lat., 743 34' 45" W. 

 lou., and the British Museum has lately secured si)ecimens from Japan. 



• Lowe records the following singular observations: "One singular distinction which 

 exists between this fish and J>. deradactylus^ duv., is the comparatively rapid decomposition 

 of the viscera. I have repeatedly had individuals of both soits brought for examination, 

 which had been caught together, and while the whole contents of the abdomen in />'. dcca- 

 dactylus have been in the most perfect preservation, those of B. spInidcHs, though in other 

 resi^ects the fishes were quite fresh, have proved entirely decomposed. And 1 have only 

 been able to overcome this difficulty by going out in the fishing boats and being present at 

 the actual capture of this latter species, the Al/oiisin a casta cumprida of the fishermen; 

 which begins to be met with of small size at the depth of 150 or 200 fathoms, but is scarcely 

 taken in full size and plenty except with its congener, />'. decaductyhis, Cuv., the Aljhnsin 

 a, casta larya, at the enormous depth of from 300 to 400 fathoms, and from 1 to 2 leagues 

 from the shore." 



MELAMPHAES, GUnther. 



Metojiiafi, Lowe, Proe. Zoijl. Soc. London, 1843, 90 (type, .V. ti/phlopn). (Name jireoccupicd by a genus of 



Coleoptera. ) 

 Melamphaes, Gunther, Cat. Fish. Brit. Mas., v, 433; Challenger Report, xxii, 26. 



Berycine fishes, witfi a large and thick head, the superficial bones of which are largely 

 modified by the presence of wide, uuiciferous channels. Cleft of mouth large, very oblique; 

 lower jaw slightly protruding. Teeth villiforni, in a single narrow band in each jaw ; palatine 

 toothless. Scales large, cycloid, somewhat irregular. A single dorsal with six spines and 

 eleven rays (in type species). Vent far behind the end of the dorsal, and the anal fin oci-u- 

 pying a space midway between the vertical from the end of the dorsal and the origin of the 

 caudal, having two spines and six rays. Branchiostegals, vin ; pseudobrauchiaj present. 

 Opercles not armed. 



MELAMPHAES TYPHLOPS, (Lowe), Guntueu. (Figure 198.) 



Metopias typldops, Lowe, Proc. Zoiil. Soc. London, 1843, 90; 1850, p. 251. 



Melamphacx typMops, Gunthek, Cat. Fish. Brit. Mus. v, 433; Challenger Rejiort, X-\;ii, 27, pi. v, fig. K. 



The greatest depth of the body below the origin of the dorsal fin equals the depth below 

 the occiput, and is rather more than one-fourth of the total length (without caudal), the 

 length of the head being one-third. The head is but little compressed, but higher than 

 broad, and h)nger than high; the snout is very obtuse, with the lower jaw s(-arcely project- 

 ing beyond the upper; maxillary extending to behind the vertical from the po.sterior mar- 

 gin of the eye; eye small, its diameter being one-sixth of the length of the head, aiid two- 

 thirds of that of the sncnit; crown of the head very convex, divided by ridges (which 

 are angularly bent) into a central rhomboid portion and into a ])air of lateral ones: the 

 skin, extending from ridge to ridge and covering the muciferous channels, is finely and lon- 

 gitudinally plaited, and pierced at regular intervals by very small pores. The opercninm 

 has a nu-mbranaceous margin ; the gill membrane perfectly free from the isthmus, and not 

 united with that of the other side; there are four perfect gills, but the pseudobianchiie are 

 small. Head entirely scaleless. 

 19868— No. 2 12 



