DISCUSSION OF SPECIES AND THEIR DISTRIBUTION. 297 



intermaxilla is very protractile, but may lie almost entirely concealed under the i)reorl)itals. 

 The intermaxilla reaches to the front of the orbit. The maxilla is a roumlish, slender hone, 

 extending backward to the end of the intermaxilla. The mandible is about as lon.n as the 

 eye; it extends to the vertical through tlie front of the pupil. Teeth in villiform bands on 

 the intermaxillary and mandible. The interorbital space is very narrow, less than a fourth 

 of the length of the eye, which is Ih times as long as the snout and nearly onceight h of the 

 total without caudal. The length of the head to the gill-opening is two-sevenths of the total 

 without caudal. There is a strong bifurcated sjiine at the angle of the preoperculum ex- 

 tending backward slightly beyond the gill-opening; the length of this spine at its upper 

 articnlati(m is two-thirds the length of the eye. The gill-opening is reduced to a small slit, 

 placed at a distance behiiul the eye about equal to the length of the eye and above th«! nu'dian 

 line of the body. Skin naked. The lateral line is abruptly arched over the gill-opening 

 and is connected across the nape with its feUow of the opposite side. 



The spinous dorsal is somewhat elevated in front; the lirst spine is nearly twice as 

 long as the last, its length being about one-tifth of the total length without caudal. The 

 sixth and seventh rays are tlie longest, their length nearly eciualing that of the base of the 

 fin. The caudal consists of four simple and eight divided rays. Of the divided rays in 

 the specimen described the fifth ami sixth are the longest, the lower portion of the fifth 

 and the upper portion of the sixth l)eing produced into a filament, making these rays as long 

 as the distance from the tip of the intermaxillary to the fourth anal ray. It is worthy of 

 remarlc that in another example of the same species and of about the same size as the type 

 the sixth of tlie divided rays alone contributes to form the filament; and in a young exam- 

 ple, one about one-third as large as the type, the first dorsal spine when laid back reaches 

 to the end of the soft dorsal. Some of the numerous examples of this species have none of 

 the caudal rays much produced, even in large individuals. The anal fin begins directly 

 under the third ray of the soft dorsal ; its rays increase in length to the sixth, which is the 

 longest and twice as long as the first, its length being contained five and two-thirds times 

 in the total without caudal. All the I'ays are simple except the last, which is divided. The 

 pectoral begins under the middle of the spinous dorsal and extends to below the fifth ray of 

 the soft dorsal ; its rays are all simple. The ventral base overlaps the lower extremity of 

 the pectoral base; its origin is under the gill-opening. The fourth and longest ray equals 

 one-fifth of the total length without caudal. There is a small but distinct anal papilla. 



Radial formula: D. iv, 8; A. 8; T. 19; V. i, o. 



Color, generally light brown, the back with numerous narrow streaks and blotches of 

 slightly darker brown. A dark blotch on the membrane between the third and fourtli dor- 

 sal spines, in some cases occupying nearly all of the membrane; in other cases more limited 

 and nearly elliptical in shape. Anal with a broad subvertical dark band, the tips of the 

 rays and a small area of the membrane behind each ray pale. The lower caudal lobe with 

 a narrow submarginal dark baud. Ventral with two indistinct narrow dark bands on its 

 outer half. 



Specimens of this species were obtained by the Blake from station xxx, oli' Barbadoes, 

 at a depth of 20!) fathoms; station clxxx, in 24° 17' 30" N. lat., 82-5 09' W. Ion., at a 

 depth of 137 fathoms; station xxxiii, off Santa Cruz, at a depth of 115 fathoms; station 

 ccxvi, in 20O 31' N. lat., 850 03' W. Ion., at a depth of 119 fathoms, and station ccxxx, 

 in 230 13' ]sf. i^t,^ ygo lo' W. Ion., at a depth of SI fathoms. 



Additional specimens were secured by the Albatroufi fiom the following iDcalities: Sta- 

 tion 2359, in 20^ 19' 10" N. lat., 87° 03' 30" W. Ion., at a depth of 231 fathoms; station 

 2101, in 280 11' N. lat., SSo 10' W. Ion., at a depth of CO fathoms; station 2311, in 32^ 13' 

 N. lat, 77° 51' W. Ion., at a depth of 159 fathoms; station 24(»2, in 28^ 3G' N. lat., 85^ 33' 

 30" W. Ion., at a depth of 111 fathoms, and station 210G, in 28° 10' N. lat., 81° 19' W. 

 lou.j at a depth of 20 fathoms. 



