36 



palatines : the inner row of teeth in the lower jaw and in the anterior half of 

 the upper jaw considerably enlarged. 



Gill-opening very wide : some of the gill-rakers on the outer side of the 

 1st arch are about two-thirds as long as the eye : large pseudobranchi^. 



Body closely covered with harsh ctenoid scales of irregular size and dispo- 

 sition. Those of the lateral hne, to the number of 27 to 30, are enlarged. 

 There are from 10 to 12 enlarged, strongly and acutely keeled, abdominal 

 scutes. 



3rd and 4th dorsal spines the longest, a little longer than the eye. The 

 pectorals do not reach to the vent : the ventrals reach about two-thirds the way 

 to the vent. 



Colours in spirit : frosted, the cheeks and backs cinnamon, the operculum 

 and gill-membranes dusky. 



One specimen, a foot long, off Trincomali, 320-296 fathoms. 



Regd. No. 14130. 



Distribution : Madeira, Bay of Bengal, Japan. 



20. Trachichthys intermeclius, Hector. 



Trachichthys inf ermcdius, B.ectOT, Ttans. and Proc. New Zealand Inst. VII. 1874, p. 245, pi. xi : Giinther,' 

 Challenger Deep-Sea Fishes, p. 24, pi. v. 6g. D: Alcock, Ann. Mag. Nat. Hist., Dec. 1889, p. 380. 



B. 8. D. VI. 13. A. III. 10-11. P. 18 or 19. V. I. 6. L. lat. 28. 



Height of the body nearly half, length of the head two-fifths the total 

 length without the caudal. 



The skin covering the muciferous cavities of the head and cheeks is not 

 scaly, nor is the middle line of the chin and the membranous edge of the oper- 

 culum scaly. Supra-clavicular and preopercular spines sharp and prominent : 

 spine at upper end of operculum not very prominent. 



Snout much shorter than the eye : eye from a third to two-sevenths the 

 length of the head and equal to the width of the interorbital space. 



Cleft of the mouth oblique, but not approaching the vertical : none of the 

 teeth are appreciably enlarged. 



Only 9 keeled scutes in the middle line of the belly. 



5th and 6th dorsal spines the longest,— a good deal longer than the eye. 

 The pectorals reach well beyond the middle of the anal : the first two ventral 

 rays almost reach the vent, the ventral spine is sharply serrated in the basal 

 half. 



Colours in spirit : warm brown, pectorals and ventrals much darker. 



