1. ASTRONESTHES. 425 



1. Astronesthes niger. 



Astronesthes nigra, Richards. Ichth. Voy. Sulph. p. 97. pi. 50. figs. 1-3. 

 Stomias fieldii, Cuv. 8f Vol. xviii. p. 378. 

 Chauliodus fieldii, Cuv. fy Val. xxii. p. 389. 

 Phsenodon ringens, Lowe, Proc. Zoot. Soc. 1850, p. 251. 



B. 17. D. 14-16. A. 14. P. 9. V. 7. Vert. 30/15. 



The length of the head is contained four times in the total length 

 (without caudal), its depth five times and a half. Barbel shorter 

 than the head. The origin of the dorsal fin is midway between the 

 extremity of the snout and the root of the caudal ; the pectoral ex- 

 tends nearly to the base of the ventral, whilst the ventral terminates 

 at some distance from the vent. The lower parts of the body with 

 numerous minute pearl-coloured granules ; there are twenty-two 

 luminous dots in a series running from the symphysis of the man- 

 dible to the root of the ventral. Brownish black ; sometimes with 

 an oblong bluish spot behind the shoulder. 



Atlantic. 



None of our specimens exceed a length of four inches. 



a, b. Gulf of Guinea. 



c-d. Lagos. Presented by Thomas Moore, Esq. 



e-f, g-7i. Atlantic. 



i. 47° 55' W. long., 22° 15' N. lat. From Mr. Rouse's Collection. 



1c. Many specimens. Gulf of Mexico. 



l-m. From the Haslar Collection. 



n. Type of the species. Presented by Sir J. Richardson. 



2. Astronesthes richardsonii. 



Chauliodus richardsonii, Poey, Mem. Cub. i. lam. 10. fig. 2. 

 Astronesthes richardsonii, Poey, I. c. p. 176. 



Very similar to A. niger, but with only twelve dorsal rays. 

 Cuba. 



3. Astronesthes barbatus. 

 Kner, Sitzgsber. Acad. Wiss. Wien, 1860, xxxix. p. 543. fig. 5. 

 D. 16. A. 16. P. 7. V. 7. 

 Very similar to Astr mesthes niger, but with the barbel longer, and 

 nearly equal to one-half of the total length. 

 Coast of Brazil. 



Kner says that this species differs from Astronesthes niger because 

 the latter has no canine teeth in the lower jaw ; however, these 

 canine teeth have been described and figured by Sir J. Richardson. 



