ICHTHYOLOGICAL COLLECTIONS OF THE ALBATROSS. 



4:61 



the vent in both sexes, reaching in males to or nearly to the front of aual. Pecto- 

 rals usually with 21 rays, the lower 7 simple, thickened, exserted, 2 or 3 of them 

 often as long as or longer than the branched rays above, the fin thus appearing 

 notched or lobed. The longest rays extend well beyond front of anal, and are con- 

 tained 1^ to 11 times in head. Caudal fin very sharply and deeply forked, especially 

 in male sjiecimens, where the median rays are but half the length of the longest 

 ones. The caudal varies in length from iive-sixths length of head (in males) to two- 

 thirds length (in females), and contains 11 rays, the lowermost (corresponding to 

 the uppermost developed ray) shortened and unbranched, as in Triglojys. 



Coloration similar in the two sexes. Light-brownish above (in spirits), the back 

 crossed with the usual four saddle-shaped blotches; the first one broad, under the 

 first seven or eight dorsal spines ; the second narrow, under the fifth to the tenth 

 rays of second dorsal ; the third and fourth very narrow, under last dorsal rays and 

 on back of caudal peduncle. Between the second and third bars are two or three 

 similar fainter ones equally dividing the interspace. The bars are continued to 

 below the lateral line, where they immediately fork, giving rise thus to a series of 

 vertical dark blotches mostly arranged in pairs; the interspaces between some of 

 the anterior pairs are provided each with a bright silvery spot. Under side of head 

 and body whitish, the breast and anterior part of belly more or less silvery. Lining of 

 opercle jet-black, the color descending onto the uppermost branchiostegal rays. An 

 ill-defined dark blotch below eye, from which runs a narrow streak along preorbital 

 to front of snout, where it crosses upper lip. Lower lip black, except laterally. No 

 distinct markings on basal portion of pectorals; a small faint spot at base of its 

 upper rays, and a number of very faint bars sometimes visible in females. Males 

 with two conspicuous jet-black bars crossing terminal half of the lower thickened 

 pectoral rays. Tips of the narrow caudal lobes jet-black ; no other markings visible. 



Several sijecimens, from 115 to 245 mm. long, from stations 3213, 3214, and 3222, 

 south of Sannak and north of Unimak Islands, at depths of 38 to 50 fathoms. 



74. Prionistius macellus Beau. 



The elongation of the lower exserted pectoral rays and the '^ serrations " (i, e., 

 minute spinous scales) on the fin rays are characters which Prionistius shares with 

 other related forms. The slenderness of the body, the emarginatiou of the caudal 

 fin, and the elongate dorsal and anal fins are also present in Elamira forficata, where 

 the two former characters are carried to an extreme. The characteristic features of 

 Prionistius are the naked breast and the absence of the usual series of enlarged 

 plates along base of dorsal fin. 



Four specimens, 77 to 87 mm. long, were secured* at stations 3214, 3218, and 3223, 

 south of Sannak and north of Unimak Islands, Alaska, at 38 to 56 fathoms. The 

 ventral fins seem to be not more advanced in position than in the other species. 

 In other respects our specimens agree well with Dr. Bean's admirably full description. 



75. Hemilepidotus jordani Bean. 



Taken abundantly in most localities visited, with hand lines at Unimak Island, 

 Amak Island, and Unalaska Island, and with beam trawl both north and south of 

 the Alaskan Peninsula and the Aleutian Islands, at stations 3213,3214,3215,3217, 

 3220, 3222, 3259, 3262, 3266, 3281, 3291, 3292, 3294, 3322, and 3333, at depths of 19 to 50 

 fathoms. The fin rays range higher than in the types, as shown by the counts in 

 seven specimens. 



