66 PROCEEDINGS OF UNITED STATES NATIONAL MUSEUM. 



These two iudividuals, together with a third of smaller size, and cer- 

 taiuly of another species, were procured in the market of San Francisco 

 by W. G. W. Harford, in 187G. The fishmonger called them "deep-sea 

 fish," and said that he had never seen the kind before. No others have 

 appeared in the market since. A smaller example is in the museum of 

 the State University, Berkeley, and was procured in Washington Terri- 

 tory. 



The relations of this fish are probably with the Blennioid fishes. It 

 can, however, hardly be referred to any of the current families, and 

 should perhaps form the type of a separate one. 



Osmerus atteuuatus. 



Osmerus elongatus Lockingtoii , Eep. Commissioners Fislieries State of Cal., 

 1879, p. 43 ; not Osmerus elongatus Ayers, Proc. Cal. Acad. , Vol. I, p. 17. 



D. 1-10. A. 17. P. 14. Y. 1-8. 



Form elongate, fusiform, dorsal outline rising gently to a point just 

 behind the origin of the pectoral, thence almost straight to dorsal, 

 thence tapering regularly to the caudal peduncle. Abdominal outline 

 straight from the posterior extremity of the maxillary to the ventrals, 

 thence inclining upwards slowly to the caudal peduncle. 



Greatest depth 7§-8a times; head 4 J to nearly 5 times in the total 

 length; eye about 4 times in the length of the head; snout about the 

 same length as the eye; caudal iieduncle 2|-2f times in the greatest 

 depth. 



Viewed from above, the forehead and snout diminish in width ante- 

 riorly. 



Nostrils conspicuous, divided by a thin partition, simple, situated on 

 a line from the top of the pupil to the tip of the snout, and about half- 

 way between the latter and the anterior margin of the orbit. 



Eyes large, subcircular, entirely in the anterior half of the head ; 

 upper orbital margins raised, but the interorbital space between these 

 margins llat transversely. 



Mouth large, the commissure straight and ascending anteriorly at an 

 angle of about 30°, the tip of the upper jaw horizontal with the center 

 of the pupil, and the posterior extremity of the maxillary on a vertical 

 line from the posterior margin of the pupil ; mandible straight on its 

 lower border, its tip projecting beyond that of the upper jaw. 



Dentition tolerably strong, on jaws and palatines. Teeth of upper 

 jaw in a single row, numerous, small, slender, those in front inclined 

 forward, a large tooth at the symphysis. 



Lower jaw with a double row of slightly recurved teeth in front, the 

 •outer extending only about one-fifth of the length of the sides of the 

 .mandible, .the inner row extending along the sides, and consisting of 

 llarger teeth ,than the outer or than those of the upper jaw ; the largest 

 situated along the sides, and much wider apart than those of the upper 

 jaw. 



Inner palatinie .row of numerous small teeth; outer palatine series 



