474 . DEEP-SEA FISHES OF THE ATLANTIC BASIN. 



that of the pyo. The pectoral is short, reaching to below the eighth scute of the lateral 

 line; tlie longest def ached ray reaches to below the ninth scute of the lateral line; its length 

 (24 millimeters) e(iuals one-half the length of the head. Thirty scutes in the lateral line. 



Radial fornmla,: B. 7-S; I), viii, 20; A. i, IS; P. 11 + 2; V. I, 5. 



(.'olor (of alcoholic specimen) very light yellow, a broad pearly band ahnig the sides, 

 back stippled with liglit brownish; pectorals with dark mottlings. 



The type of the species is a specimi'U 5 inches long, taken at station 2401, steamer 

 Albatross, N. lat. 28° 38' 30," W. Ion. 85° 52' 30", from 142 fathoms. This locality is in 

 the Gulf of Mexico. 



PERISTEDION PLATYCEPHALUM, Goode aud Beax. (Figure 388, A, B.) 



Peristeduim platycephahim, Goode and Bean, Bull. Mus. ('omp. Zoiil., xii, No. 5. p. 167. 



A Perisiedion with body much depressed, its greatest height (23 millimeters), OJ in 

 body length, (S% in total. 



Length of head without prolongations (47 millimeters), twice the height of body, 3i 

 in its length ; with pi'olongations, 2i in body length. Interorbital space deeply concave, the 

 supraorbital margin being swollen, its width (14 millimeters) equal to the long diameter of 

 the eye. No protuberance on the forehead, which is much depressed, its outline descend- 

 ing abruptly and rapidly in front of the eyes. A ridge below the eye, not armed; a small 

 vertical spine behind each nostril. Stout spines upon operculum aud several upon the 

 vertex. The length of snout with its extensions (29 millimeters) is half the length of the 

 head, its processes (10 millimeters) about 3 in its own length. The processes are flat, 

 triangular, diverging slightly, the distance apart of their tips 2-2J that at their bases. A 

 ridge extends backwards from the base of each process along the lower edge of the preo- 

 perculum, ending behind in a sharp, flat spine; the greatest width of the expanded i)ortion, 

 on the pi-eoperculum, only one-fourth as wide as the eye. Beneath this is another less con- 

 spicuous ridge with minutely serrated edge, which is double in front and single behind, the 

 two jiortious separated by a slight notch. 



Jaws normal, the two tentacles much fringed, their length (16 millimeters) not much 

 exceeding the diameter of the eye; between them, and placed about eciuidistant from each 

 other, are two bunches of short tentacles, about 4 in each. Chin with numerous short ten- 

 tacles, .some of them as long as the eye, arranged for the most part in bunches of 4. The 

 maxilla does not reach to the anterior margin of orbit. Diameter of eye (13 millimeters) 

 nearly 4 in greatest length of head, and exactly half total length of snout. Greatest width 

 of head, over the preopercular ridges (43 millime ters), nearly equal to its own length with- 

 out the jjrocesses. 



Dorsal origin over the upper angle of gill-opening. The length of the longest spine 

 (18 millimeters) is equal to that of postorbital portion of head. 



Anal origin slightly behind origin of second dorsal and vertical through seventh lateral 

 scute. 



Caudal small, slightly emarginate, with tips slightly produced, the length of the mid- 

 dle rays (18 millimeters) equal to that of the dorsal. 



Ventral origin in advance of the axil of the pectorals; the flu extends slightly beyond 

 the vent, but not quite to the origin of the anal; its length (3,5 millimeters) about twice 

 the length of the dorsal. 



Pectoral rather long, extending to the ninth scute of the lateral line and past the 

 vertical through the origin of the anal. 



Radial formula: D. viil, 17; A. I,, 17; V. I, 5; L. lat. 29. 



Color, red; body and fins mottled and blotched with darker. 



Types from Bhike, stations LX, of!:' Barbados, 123 fathoms; Lix, off Barbados, 288 

 fathoms. 



