THE CHARACTERS OF THE DEEP-SEA FAUNA 61 



violet, and one species was characterised by a brilliant 

 blue band. The Ophidiidge, Nemichthys, and the like, 

 are usually of an ashy violet tint, while in Ipnoi^s 

 and Batliypterois the tints were of a decidedly 

 yellowish brown.' 



That the deep-sea fish are usually devoid of any 

 pronounced spots, stripes, and other markings, is now 

 well recognised. It may not be altogether out of place, 

 however, to refer briefly tc a few exceptions. 



The black circles on the abdomen of Neosco]jelus 

 macrolepidotus have already been referred to. 



Halosaiirns johnsoniama has a black spot on the 

 tail. 



Aulostoma longipes has three pairs of large black 

 spots on the ventral side, but the specimen taken 

 in 1,163 metres of water by the 'Talisman' was 

 probably a young one. 



It is very probable that in all the exceptional 

 cases, when fish taken in deep-sea water have exhibited 

 such spots and markings, they are examples either 

 of fish that have quite recently adopted an abysmal 

 habitat or of young specimens exhibiting ancestral 

 inherited characters. 



In referring to a specimen of Raja circularise taken 

 by the ' Triton ' in 516 fathoms, Giinther says : ' It is 



