66 LYCODINiE. 



The colouration (cf. Tab. II, fig. 3, representing K rover's type-specimen) consists of 9— 11 

 dark saddle-shaped cros.s-bands on the trunk and tail, the most posterior on the outermost point of 

 the tail; each of these bands is bordered by a very dark, sharply outlined margin; the most anterior 

 band is separated from the dark upper surface of tiie head by a light cross-stripe (neck-band); the head 

 is encircled by a dark-brown O-shaped stripe, extending from the snout to the front margin of the eye, 

 from the posterior margin of the eye to the gill-cover's edge and from there on to the neck in front of 

 the light neck-band; further an oval spot, light-coloured but surrounded by a brown ring is observed 

 behind the e>e towards the upper edge of the head. — This regular banded marking seemed to me 

 previoush- to tell against these individuals being considered the young of the network-marked L. 

 reticitlatiis ; but after I had seen in a series of specimens of the nearly allied L. rcticulatus var. 

 macrocephaliis^ just such a similar change in colouration, occuring with age (cf. p. 68 — 69 and Tab. VHI), 

 I think it very probable that L. perspicillmn can change in a similar manner to L. yeticulatiis. 



The scales in the largest specimen show on the middle third of the bod\-, nameh- on the 

 portion from a point under the anterior end of the dorsal fin, to the middle of the tail; in the smallest 

 specimen of L. reiiculatus the scales also cease at some distance from the end of the tail. 



Taking all in all, it seems to me extremely probable, that L. perspicilhtin Kroyer is the young 

 stage of L. reticnlatus Reinhardt, as Collett was the first to remark. Complete certainty, of course, 

 will not be arrived at until the transition stages are found. 



I may just add, that according to Goode & Bean (Oceanic Ichthyology, 1895, p. 307), the 

 « Albatross- has taken sj^eciniens of L. perspuilluiii Kr. off the east coast of North America (45' 24'/2' 

 —47" 29' N.L.), at 59—86 fathoms depth; the figures given (PI. 80, fig. 278 «& 278 a) suggest that these 

 author's L. perspicillnm . which the}- consider a separate species, is identical with Kroner's; it agrees 

 well therefore, that there should be a form on the east coast of North America which is probably the 

 same as L. reticitlatits Reinhardt (cf. p. 64). 



var. macrocephalus m. 



Tab. VIII, Fig. i a, b, c, d, e, f. 



1886. Lycodes reticnlatus Steindachner, Die Osterr. Polarst. Jan Mayen (Internat. Polarforsch. 1882 — 83), 



3. Bd., p. 107. 

 1901. L. reticiilatiis forma rei/'cu/ata .Smitt, Bih. K. Sv. Yet.-Akad. Handl. Bd. 27, Afd. IV, No. 4, p. 33 



(partim). No. 26 & 28—36, Fig. 4 — 5. 

 1901. L.retiatlatits forma seim'imda Smitt, ibid. p. 31 (partim). No. 13. 



In proportions of the total length, the height over the anus is 10 — i2,2'Yo, the 

 length of the head in males 26,2 — 28,6%, in females and young 25 — 26,6%, the 

 longitudinal diameter of the e\'e 4,3—4,8"',,, the distance between the snout and the 

 anus 46,2 — 50,6";,,, the length of the pectorals 13-14,4 'Vo. The young have 7 — 9 dark 

 and dark-bordered cross-bands on a light ground, and in addition a dark spot on 

 the end of the caudal fin; a light band across over the neck, and often a dark longi- 

 tudinal streak on the sides of the head. In older specimens a more or less distinct 



