NOVA SCOTIAN ICHTHYOLOGY.—HONEYMAN. FST 
without cartilaginous rings penetrating the palate. One medium 
tooth on the palate, and two comb-like series of teeth on the 
tongue. Branchial apertures at a great distance from the head. 
The inner branchial ducts lead into the zsophagus. A series of 
mucous sacs along each side of the abdomen. Intestines without 
special value.’—Gunther. 
In the naturalist’s library it is called Gasterobranchus cecus. 
It is so named as its gills are on the belly, and as it is blind. 
Huxley places in the order Varsipobranchii— Marsipos a pouch 
branchia gills, as its “gills are sac-like, not ciliated.”—(Intro- 
duction to the Classification of Animals—London, 1869. Gun- 
ther says—‘“Its eyes are rudimentary, and are covered with the 
muscles and skin.”  Linneeus at first classed it among his order 
Vermes. Worms—WNat. Lib. 
One specimen was brought to the Museum by another Devil's 
Island fisherman. He caught it at a distance of 70 miles from 
the island, and in depth of 54 fathoms. It was twisted round a 
trawl hook. When brought it was living, and very active. It 
had secreted a large quantity of slime in the tin can. Its lam- 
prey aflinities were readily recognized from its eel-shape and 
the form of its mouth. I put it into a large glass jar, and filled 
it with fresh sea-water, that I might keep it alive and study its 
movements. It lay quiet. at the bottom for nearly an hour, 
during this time it secreted a large quantity of slime. Lifting 
it up in the vessel, it became quite active, wriggling and moving 
its barbels. On referring to Gillis’ Catalogue of Fishes, I readily 
identified itas Myxine Glutinosu slime-fish. Referring also to 
vol. 37 of the Naturalist’s Library, | found a picture of myxine, 
which, in its main features, depicts our specimen. Consulting 
Gunther, the identification was complete. 
Next morning I found it dead and suspended in the water. 
It is 18 inches in length. Its girth near the two branchial 
apertures is two inches. The nostril at the extremity of the 
head has two pairs of barbels; two pairs are at the mouth. The 
distance of the branchial apertures from the nostril is 5$ inches. 
Its colour is light brown,—lighter on the abdomen. On either 
