22 JIVK.KNID-'E. 



Second Group. SACCOPHARYNGINA. 



2. SACCOPHARYNX. 



Saccopharynx, Mitchill, Ann. Lye. Neiv York, i. 1824, p. 82. 

 Ophiognathus, Hartvood, Phil. Tram. 1827, p. 277. 



Deep-sea congers, with the muscular system very feebly deve- 

 loped, with the bones very thin, soft, and wanting in anorganic 

 matter, connected by a lax, easily torn fibrous tissue. 



Head and gape enormous. Snout very short, pointed, flexible, 

 like an appendage overlapping the gape. [Only one nostril can be 

 found in front of the small eye *.] Maxillary and mandibulary 

 bones very thin, slender, arched, armed with one or two series of 

 long, slender, curved, widely set teeth, their points being directed 

 inwards ; palate toothless. Gill-openings wide, at some distance 

 from the head, at the lower part of the sides ; gills very narrow, free, 

 and exposed. Trimk of moderate length. Stomach distensible in 

 an extraordinary degree. Vent at the end of the trunk. Tail band- 

 like, exceedingly long, tapering into a very fine filament. Pectoral 

 small, present. Dorsal and anal fins rudimentary ; the former more 

 so than the latter, and indicated by a groove bordered by a whitish 

 line on each side, and commencing at a short distance behind the 

 head. Now and then a short fine ray is visible towards the end of 

 the trunk. Anal rays distantly placed, commence behind the vent, 

 and are visible for some distance. 



Temperate parts of the North Atlantic. 



1. Saccopharynx flagellum. 



Saccopharynx flagellum, Mitchill, I, c. 

 Ophiognathus ampullaceus, II<invoud, I. c. 



Saccopharynx ampullaceus, Johnson, Ann. ^ Mar/. Nat. Hist. 1862, 

 X. p. 277. 



Uniform deep black. 



u. Madeira. Presented by J. Y. Johnson. — Length of head (to the 



mandibulary joint) 2| in., of trunk 6 in., of tail 25 in. 

 b. Young. Presented by Mrs. Philips. 



Third Group. SYNAPHOBRANCHINA. 



'6. SYNAPHOBRANCHUS. 



Synaphobranchus, Johnson, Proc. Zuol. Soc. 1862, p. 169. 

 nill-opcnings ventral, united into a longitudinal slit between the 

 l)cetoral fins, separate internally. Pectoral and vertical fins well 

 developed. Nostrils lateral, the anterior subtubular, the posterior 



* Tlii« ))ai't ol the liead is not in a good state of preservation, and the other 

 nostril is most probably near the end of the snout. 



