314 DEEP SEA FISHES. 
Hab. Cocos Islands. 
This species and ZL. nebulosa are closely allied. A specimen of the latter 
from the Society Islands has nearly the same number of vertebrae, 55 + 
71; but has a larger number of dorsal rays, 139 + 209 ca., single rows of 
maxillary teeth, two series of vomerines — distinct anteriorly, and a some- 
what different style of markings. 
Echidna scabra sp. n. 
This species resembles Echidna nebulosa and EF. cocosa in shape but is 
stouter, less slender, has a shorter tail, and larger scale marks than the latter. 
It also resembles /. nocturna, but has a longer anal,a different dentition, and 
a different maculation. Body and tail compressed; depth one thirteenth of 
the total length, tolerably well retained till near the end of the tail, which is 
rounded on the hind margin to a blunted extremity; vent midway from the 
eye to the end of the caudal fin. Head compressed, length about one 
seventh of the total, or four fifteenths of head and body, very convex in out- 
line above the snout, concave above the orbits. Snout deep, strongly arched, 
longer than the eye. Mouth large, two sevenths as long as the head, ex- 
tending little farther backward than the eye. Teeth varying in shapes and 
sizes: at the head of the vomer at each side there are eight large stout 
swollen-based teeth, with cusps somewhat blunt, forming a closely set series 
around a short longitudinal row of three larger ones in the middle; back- 
ward of this anterior group there are two series of smaller and sharper teeth 
on each maxillary, and a series of similar ones on the shaft of the vomer ; 
opposed to the vomerine group, on the lower jaws there is another group of 
strong teeth like those meeting them from the upper jaws, of about eight 
on each side separated in the middle by two; behind the symphyseal group, 
on each dentary the teeth are of moderate size and blunted cusps and form 
a single row. The two maxillary series of teeth below the orbit on each 
side do not end in a single series as in L. cocosa; they and the vomerines 
extend backward nearly as far as the hind border of the eye. In the for- 
ward groups the teeth increase in size backward in the series. Gill opening 
smaller than the eye. Eye large, two thirds as long as the snout, one tenth 
of the length of the head. Anterior nostril tubular, posterior above the for- 
ward half of the eye. Vertebra 57 + 69. 
Dorsal origin one length of snout and eye forward of the gill openings ; 
anal fin little more than half as deep as the dorsal, deeper backward. 
