232 DEEP-SEA FISHES OF THE ATLANTIC BASIN. 



the secoiul anal spine at least twice as long as the first. Caudal deeply furcate, scaled 

 upon the lower portions of the lobes. 



Distance of ijectoral from snout equal to length of head; its length equal to that of the 

 maxilla. 



Distance of ventral from snout slightly greater than one-third of the standard body 

 length. 



Kadial formula: D. VII, 1, 9; A. II, 8; P. 16; V. I, 5. 



Scales in lateral line, 45 ; above lateral line, 3 ; beloTV, 9. 



Color nearly uniform light, reddish brown, with no blotches. Scales finely punctulate 

 with black. 



Our description is based upon Museum specimen No. 26228, taken by the Fish Eairlc from 

 station 897, in 37° 25' N. lat., 74° 18' W. Ion., at a depth of 157i fathoms. Examples 

 were also obtained by the Albatross from station 2376, in 29° 13' 15" N. lat., 88° 16' W. 

 Ion., at a depth of 324 fathoms; and from station 2398, in 28° 45' N. lat., 86° 26' W. Ion., 

 at a depth of 227 fathoms. 



MALACICHTHYS, Doderlein. 



Malakichthys, Doderlein, Denksclir. d. k. Akad. il. AViss. Wien, xi.vn, ISHS, 240 (type, M. grineua. Inc. rit, 

 pi. II, fig. 1). — GuNTiiER, Challenger Report, xxii, 1887, 15. 



Form of the body oval, similar to Amhnssis. The two dorsals united by a low mem- 

 brane; anal with 3 spines. Preoperculum denticulated; operculum with 2 feeble points. 

 Bones of the head very thin, cavernous; eye large. Very narrow bands of villiform teeth 

 ill the jaws, on the vomer and palatine bones, without canines. Head nearly entirely scaly. 

 Mouth wide, oblique, with projecting mandible. Scales of moderate size, ctenoid, deciduous. 

 Seven brauchiostegals; pseudobranchiic. Lateral line complete; Pyloric appendages in 

 small number (4). Air blachh^r siiuill. Abdominal cavity and pharynx black. (GUnther.) 



Tlie type species Malaeichthys ririscns is represented by several specimens taken near 

 Tokio, Japan, and said by Diiderlein to be obtained at great depths. 



EPIGONUS, Rafinesque. 



Epigonns, Rafinesque, Appendice, 64. 



Pomat07HU8, Eisso, Ichthyologie de Nice, 1810, 301; Hist. Nat. Europe M^ridionale, III, 387. — CuviER and 



Valenciennes, Hist. Nat. Poiss., ii, 171. — Gunther, Cat. Fisli. Brit. Mus., i, 249. — Moreau, Hist. Nat. 



Poiss., France, II, 385. 



Chilodipterids with the body elongate, thick, covered with large, deciduous scales. 

 Head large, entirely covered with scales. No keels. Operculum with 2 feeble points. 

 Preoperculum with prominent, rounded and striated angle, but with its posterior limb 

 emarginate. Eyes very large. Teeth villiform. No teeth on the iJalatiues. Two dorsal 

 fins, separated by an interspace; the first with 7 spines. Anal with 2 spines. The fins 

 more or less scaly. Pyloric cieca numerous. 



The name Fomatomus is preoccuiiied, having been applied by Lacepede to a fish 

 usually known to European ichthyologists as Tcmnodon, 



EPIGONUS TELESCOPUS, (Risso), Goode and Bean. 



Pomatomus tdescopus, Risso, Ichtbyologie, 1810, 301, PI. IX, fig. 31; Hist. Nat. Europe M^ridionale, 387. — 



Lowe, Trans. Zoiil. Soc, ii, 173. — Bonaparte, Cat. Metodico, No. 488. 

 romalomits IvJescopium, CuviER and Valenciennes, loc. cil., ii, 171, PI. xxiv'; vi, 495. — Cuvier, Ri'gne 



Animal, Hlnstree, PI. vii, a, fig. 1. — Guiciienot, Explor. Alger. Poiss., 32.— Valenciennes, m Webb and 



Borthelot, Hist. Nat. lies Canaries, Ichthyol., pi. I. — GiJNTHER, Cat. Fish. Brit. Mus., I, 250. — Canes- 



TRiNi, Fauna Italic^a, 179. — Moreau, Hist. Nat. Poiss. France, il, 386. 

 Fomatumu.1 Cunieri, Cocoo, Gioru. Sci. de Sicilia, Vll, 1829, 143, figure. 



The fish described in 1810 by Risso was said to be so rai'C that during thirty years 

 previous only two specimens had been taken. "This rarity," says Risso, "is due to the 

 fiict that it never leaves those cold submarine valleys where our fishermen can only set 

 their long lines in the month of August, so that they are never taken except by chance." 



