200 DEEP-SEA FISHES OP THE ATLANTIC BASIN. 



PROMETHICHTHYS, Gill. 



Prometheus, Lowe, Trans. Zoi'il. Soc, Lomion, ii, 181; Proc. Zool. Soc, Loudou, 1839, 78; Fishes of Madeira, 



141.— Gill, Proc. Acad. Nat. Sci., Phila., 1862, 126. 

 I'romctHcltlhyf!, Gill, Mom. Acad. Nat. Sci., vi. 1893. 



Scombroids witli elongate, slender, fusiform body, long spinons dorsal, pectorals com- 

 paratively low, caudal without keels, veutrals represented by a pair of minute spines, 

 flnlets above and below, two in number, no dagger-shaped sjjine beliind vent. Preoper- 

 culnni unaiiued. Lateral line descending in strongly oblique line, below the front of the 

 spinous dorsal. 



PROMETHICHTHYS PROMETHEUS (C. &V.) Gill. 



THE BERMUDA CATFI.SH. 



Oemptilus promethcMn, Wehh ,ind Berthelot, Poissons, lies Canar. , 51, pi. xi. — Cuvier and Valenciennes, 



Hist. Nat. Poiss., viii, 213, pi. 222 (Saint Helena, Qiioy and Gaimard). 

 ThyrsUes prometheus, Gunther, Cat. Fish. Brit. Mus., ii, 351; Challenger Report, xxii, 1887, 268. (Madeira, 



Rev. R. T. Lowe.) — Goode, Amer. Jour. Sci., xiv, 1877, 291 (occurrence in Bermuda). 

 ? Gempyl us prometheus, Cuvier and Valenciennes, op. cii., 213, pi. 222. 

 Prometheus atlanlU-ns, Lowe, Trans. Zoiil. .Soc. London, ii, 181; Proc. Zool. Soc, 1839, 78; Fishes of M.adeira, 



I, 141, pi. XX. — Gill, Proc. Acad. Nat. Sci. Phila., 1862, 126. — Poey, Synopsis, 364 ; Euum. Pise. Cuben- 



sinm, 74. 

 ?G««j)^?H.s (SoMfuZri, Cuvier and Valenciennes, ojj. cit., 215 (on description by Solander of individual 3 



feet long fmm New Holland). ■ 

 Promethichthys atlantimts, GUI. loc. cit. 



Height of body one-eiglith of its total length; length of head two ninths. Lateral line 

 curves downward under origin of first dorsal. Ventral represented by a single spine in 

 advance of the pectoral. 



Eadial formula: D. 18 | 21 + n (in); A. 16 | ii (iii); V. 1. 



Oolor, silver graj', the spinous dorsal darker. 



This fish, the " Coelho " or Eabbit Fish of Madeira, lives habitually at the bottom, and 

 is taken at most seasons at a depth of from 100 to 300 or 400 fathoms, and in the summer 

 months, according to Lowe, it is generally one of the commonest and cheapest fishes in the 

 market, where it is sold in bundles, chiefly to the Portuguese. It breeds in August and 

 September, and attains a length of 30 millimeters. 



Several specimens were obtained in Bermuda in 1S77 by Dr. Goode. The fi.shermen 

 obtain it at a depth of 60 to 100 fathoms, and it is known to them as the "Catfish." 



DICROTUS, Gunther. 

 IHcrotns, GttNTiiER, Cat. Fish. Brit. Mus. ii, 1860, 349. (Typo, /). armatus.) 



Body rather elongate, compressed ; cleft of the mouth wide. The first dorsal continuous, 

 with the spines of moderate strength, and extending on to the second; flnlets none. Ven- 

 tral reduced to a long, crennlated spine. Preoperculum with several spines at the angle. 

 Body naked. Several strong canines in tbe .jaws; minute teeth on the vomer and the 

 palatine bones. No keel on the tail. Seven branchiostegals. P.seudobranchiie. 



The fislies assigned to this genus are always small. They will perhaps prove to be the 

 young" of Prometheus or Gcmpyhis. 



PICROTUS ARMATUS, Gt'NTHER. 

 Dicrnlns armatus, GiJNTUER, Cat. Fish. Brit. Mus., ii, 1860, 349. 



The height of the body is 6^ in the total length, the length of the head 3 1^ The maxillary 



