358 DEEP-SEA FISHES ■OF THE ATLANTIC BASIN. 



The distribution of this species is very puzzling. It has been found at Ilalifox, Nova 

 Scotia, and south as far the Cape Fear River, where specimens were talicn in shaUow water 

 in March, 1880, by Gol. Marshall McDonald. It has been found also in tlie York River, 

 Virginia, a tributary of Chesapeake Bay, but is nowhere abundant except about Long Isl- 

 and. It has also been found at considerable dej)ths, as is shown in the following list: By 

 the inalcc at station cccxxxiii, in 35° 45' 25" N. lat., 74° 50' 30" W, Ion., at depth of 05 

 fathoms; at station cccxiv, in 32° 24' N. lat., 78° 44' W. Ion., at a depth of 142 fathoms; 

 and at station CCCXXi, in 32o 43' 25" N. lat., 77° 20' 30" W. Ion., at a depth of 233 fiithonis; 

 l)y the Albatross at station 2418, in 33° 20' N. lat., 77° 5' W. Ion., at a depth of 90 latlioms; 

 at station 2417, in 33° 18' 30" N. lat., 77° 7' W. Ion., at a depth of 95 fatlioms; at station 

 2309, in 35° 43' 30" N. lat., 74° 52' W. Ion., at a depth of 56 fathoms; at station 2312, in 

 320 54' N. lat.., 77° 53' 30" W. Ion., at a depth of 88 fathoms; at station 22G4, in 37° 7' 50" 

 N. lat., 740 34' 20" W.lon., at a depth of 107 fathoms; at station 2421, in 37° 7' N. lat., 

 740 34' 30" W. Ion., at a depth of 64 fathoms; at station 2265, in 37° 7' 40" N. lat., 74° 

 35' 40" W.lon., at a depth of 70 fathoms; at station 2311, in 32° 55' N. lat., 77° 54' W. 

 Ion., at a depth of 79 fathoms; and at station 2307, iii 35° 42' N. lat., 74° 34' 30" W. Ion., at 

 a depth of 43 fathoms. 



Mr. A. Agassiz ami the officers of the Blale had their attention I'orcibly attracted to a 

 singular power possessed by this fish of emitting electric shocks. This i)ecnliarity has 

 never been noticed in this species save in deep water. The attention of observers is called 

 to this interesting point. 



PHYCIS CIREATUS, Goode aud Bean, 11. s. (Fignro 310.) 



Tlie body is moderately stout; its greatest height equals the length of the head without 

 the snout and is contained 5 times in the length to base of caudal. The length of tlie head 

 is one-foirrth of the standard length. The eye is large, its length in the largest specimen 

 examined slightly more, and in the smallest individual slightly less, than one-fourth that of 

 the head. The width of the interorbital si^ace is about one-half the length of the eye in large 

 examples. The maxilla does not reach to the posterior margin of the orbit in large speci- 

 mens, but in the smallest one it extends fully to that vertical. The mandible extends far 

 beyond the posterior margin of the eye, and its length is about eciual to the postorbital part 

 of the liead. The barbel is minute in all the examples examined; its length usually about 

 one-fifth that of the eye. Teeth in villiibrm bands in both jaws, the intermaxillary bands 

 being wider than those on the mandible. Vomerines in a narrow, villiftu'm band. Gill- 

 rakers 2+12. The largest ones club-sliaped at the end; the longest one-fourtli as long as 

 the eye. Gill membranes attached to the isthnnis, but with a narrow, free posterior border. 



The length of the pectoral equals about one-half the distance from the ventral to the 

 anal origin. It reaches to about the twenty-sixth row of scales. The ventral reaches in 

 some specimens slightly beyond the origin of tlie anal. In one individual it reaches almost 

 to the middle of the anal fin. None of the dorsal rays are filamentous, the longest rays being- 

 contained from 2| to 3 times in the length of the head. The length of the base of the first 

 dorsal is about equal to the length of the eye in most specimens; in smaller examples it is 

 somewhat greater, about one-third the length of the head. The vent is under the sixteenth 

 ray of the second dorsal. 



Radial formula: D. 10+66; A. 57; Scales 6-9.3-20. 



Color light brown; lower parts minutely dotted. Dorsals with narrow dark margins; 

 caudal with a broad dark margin; anal with a narrow dark margin in its posterior third. 

 Roof of mouth and interior of gill-cavity dark -brown. 



Thetype of thepresentdescription is Cat. No. 39059of theU. S. National Museum. It was 

 taken by the ^^taamer Allmtross from station 2376, in 29° 03' 15" N. hit., 88° 16' W. Ion., at a 

 depth of 324 fathoms. Tlie additional specimens employed in the description are Cat. No. 

 39294, U. S. N. M., from station 2377, in 29° 7' 30" N. lat., 88° 8' W. Ion., at a depth of 210 

 fothoms; and Cat. No. 39295, U. S. N. M., from station 2397, in 28° 42' N. lat., 86^ 36' W. Ion., 

 at a depth of 280 fathoms. All the known exauqdes are from the Gulf of Mexico. 



