DISCUSSION OF SPECIES AND THEIR DISTRIBUTION. 331 



Eleven specimens were t;ikeu by the Preucli expedition at station ci, off the Gn\)o 

 Verde Ishmds, at a depth of 3,1200 meters. They were evidently spawiiinf;-, for red t^ggs were 

 protrading from the abdomen. 



MCEBIA, Goode and Bean, n. g. 



Brotulids resembling Bassozefus in general form, excepting that the tail is prolonged in 

 a very slender filament, the dorsal and aual rays being extremely short posteriorly, but 

 positively eontlueiit with the caudal rays, which are much longer and mneh exserted. Ven- 

 rals each bifid, instead of a single ray as in Bnssozrtii><. Head very cavernous, the sinuses 

 large and conspicuous on the infraorbital ring, on the maiidiltle, and the preoperculum. A 

 single, short, feeble si)ine on the shoulder, but none upou the oi)erculum or preoperculum, 

 though certain projections seem to show above the eye, doubtless due to the shrinkage of 

 the integument upon the underlying projections of bone. Moutii very wide, the extremity 

 of the maxillary much dilated. Posterior nostrils very wide, and separated from the eye 

 by a small, spinous projection of bone. Teeth in narrow bands, that on the vomer V-shaped 

 with the two arms straight. A few very large scales in a row starting from the upper 

 angle of the gill-opening and terminating over the axil of the jjectoral. Gill-rakers on 

 outer arch rather numerous, long and slender. Pseudobranchias represented by two minute 

 globules. 



This genus is founded upon Bdlhi/iieetrs f/iyu^ilis of Giinther (Ann. and Mag. Nat. Hist. 

 1878,11,21; Challenger Report, xxri, 112, pl.xvi, fig. 1!), provisionally referred by Giinther 

 to our genus Porogadus. 



It is named in honor of Prof. Karl Mrebius, Director of theEoyal Zoological Museum in 

 Berlin, who has added much to our knowledge of marine life by his noble work Die Fauna 

 der Kielerbucht, and by numerous other writings. 



It is but right to say that at the time its reference was made, no figure of Porogadus 

 had been published, and some of the most salient characters, which we tried to l)ring out 

 prominently in our generic diagnosis, seem not to have been sufficiently emphasized, so 

 that both Ur. Giinther and Dr. Vaillant were misled as to the real affinities of our species 

 Porogadus miles, the type of the genus. 



Mcebia gracilis was obtained by the Challenger at station IS-t, south of New Guinea, 

 at a depth of 1,400 fathoms. 



BARATHRODEMUS, Goode aad Bean. 



Baralhvodcmus, Goode iiiul Ke,vx, liiill. Miis. Co. up. Zu.il., x, 188:J, 200.— Juudax, Cat. Fi.sli. N. Amor., 1885, 

 127. — GiJNTHBR, Challenger Report, xxir, l.ssT, 99. 



Brotulids with body much coni])ress(Ml, elevated; head considerably compressed, with 

 mouth moderate (in the type species extending to the vertical through the middle of the 

 eye). Eye moderate. Head spineless, except a short flattened spine at the upper angle 

 of the operculum. Snout long, projecting tar beyond the tip of the upper jaw, its extrem- 

 ity much swollen. Jaws nearly equal in front. Teeth minute, in villiform bands on jaws, 

 vomer, and palatines. Barbel, none. Anterior pair of nostrils open and situated at the 

 outer angles of the dilateil snout, circular, each surrounded with a<'lnster of mucous tubes. 

 Posterior nostrils near anterior upper margin of orbit. Gill openings wide, membranes 

 not united. Gills 1, with a slit behind "the fourth; gill lamina; moderate in length. (!ill- 

 rakers also moderate; not numerous. Pseudobranchiai absent; caudal fin tu)t connate, 

 but without distinct iieduncle. 



Dorsal and anal fins long. Branchiostegals, S. Body and head covered with small, 

 thin scales, those on the body scarcely imbricated. Lateral line ab.scut. Ventrals a i»air 

 of bifid rays close together, on the isthmus. 



