420 scopelid-s:. 



1. Sndis hyaliiia. 

 Sudis hyalina (Rqfin.), Bonap, Faun. Ital. Pesc. c. fig. 

 Paralepis hyalinus, Cuv. fy Vol. iii. p. 361. 



D. 10. A. 24. P. 12. V. 9. 



The length of the head is two-sevenths of the total (without cau- 

 dal). Eye situated in the hinder part of the head, the cleft of the 

 mouth not extending to its anterior margin. 



Mediterranean. 

 a-b. Prom 2^ to 3^- inches long. Messina. 



I am not quite certain whether these specimens helong to the 

 species mentioned, as they have the pectoral fins much more elongate 

 than is represented in the figure given by Bonaparte. These fins 

 in our specimens extend to the origin of the dorsal fin ; however, 

 this may be peculiar to youth. 



Third Group. ALEPIDOSAURINA. 



Scopeloids with the dorsal fin much elongate, occupying nearly 

 the entire length of the back. 



11. ALEPIDOSAURUS. 



Alepisaurus, Lowe, Proc. Zool. Soc. 1833, p. 104, and Trans. Zool. Soc. 

 i. p. 124. 



Body elongate, rather compressed, scaleless ; head compressed, 

 with the snout much produced, and with the cleft of the mouth very 

 wide ; intermaxillary very long and very slender ; maxillary thin, 

 needle-like, as long as the intermaxillary, immoveable. Teeth very 

 unequal in size, immoveable. A series of very small teeth runs 

 along the entire length of the intermaxillary. Teeth of the palatine 

 bone compressed, triangular, pointed, the two or three anterior ones 

 being exceedingly long and strong, and the posterior ones of mode- 

 rate size. Teeth of the lower jaw similar to those of the palatine 

 bones, one pair in front and two or three pairs in the middle being- 

 much enlarged. No teeth on the tongue. Eye large. Pectoral and 

 ventral fins well developed. The rayed dorsal fin occupies the whole 

 length of the back from the occiput to the anal fin. Adipose and 

 anal fins of moderate size. Caudal forked. Gill-open ; ng very wid<\ 

 Branchiostegals six or seven. The outer branchial arch with stiff, 

 shortish, spine-like gill-rakers. Pseudobranchiae well developed. 

 Air-bladder none. 



Deep-sea fishes from the temperate and tropical parts of the 

 Atlantic and Pacific. 



Like most other deep-sea fishes, Alepidosaurus has been found at 

 widely distant localities, and it is probable that in time it will be 

 obtained in the intermediate parts of the ocean. Deep-sea fishes 

 are much less subject to differences of climate than those inhabiting 

 the coasts or the surface, and therefore we should not be surprised 

 to find the representatives of one and the same genus, and frequently 



