39 



Snout not much more than half the length of the eye, which is about one- 

 third that of the head : interorbital space about a fourth of a head-length in 

 width. Nostrils of good size, placed near the level of the middle of the eye. 



Mouth-cleft large : the upper jaw reaches behind the posterior border of 

 the orbit and so overhangs the lower that its teeth are quite outside the mouth 

 when closed. Barbels about as long as the head without the operculum. 



Gill-opening very wide : gill-rakers on the outer side of the 1st arch nearly 

 half the length of the eye : pseudobranchige large. 



Scales of moderate size, strongly ctenoid : about 36 of those of the lateral 

 line are perforated. 



The dorsal spines gradually increase in length to the last, which is about 

 half the length of the anterior dorsal rays : the anterior third, or more, of the 

 soft part of the dorsal is high, the posterior two thirds or less is very low. The 

 anal spines also gradually increase in length to the last, which is not nearly so 

 long as the anterior anal rays : also the anterior half of the soft part of the 

 anal is high, and the posterior half low. 



Pectorals about three-fifths, ventrals about two-fifths the length of the 

 head : the ventral spine and first ventral ray are very intimately adherent. 



Colours in spirit silvery, the cheeks nape and back a warmish light-brown : 

 tip of the elevated part of the dorsal fin black. 



Five specimens from the Andaman Sea 185 to 405 fathoms : the largest is 

 about 7^ inches long. 



Regd. Nos. 11725 : 13034: ^-f : ^^ 



Distribution : West Indies : Madeira, Canaries and S. Atlantic : Mauritius : 

 Andaman Sea : Japan. 



I accept Dr. Giinther's synonomy of the species. There is no doubt that 

 our specimens are absolutely identical with P. lowei and P. japonica. 



Family Kurticlce. 

 Bathyclupea, Alcock. 



Bathydupea, Alcook, Ann. Mag. Nat. Hist., Anguat, 1891, p. 130: Goode and Bean, Oceanic Ichthyology, 

 p. 190 : Jordan and Evermann, Fishes of North America, I. p. 834. 



Head and body compressed : the head with the mucous cavities well deve- 

 loped. Mouth cleft oblique, or very oblique, with the lower jaw prominent. 

 Minute villiform teeth in the jaws, palatines, and vomer. Gill-openings wide : 

 seven branchiostegals : pseudobranchiie present. Scales cycloid, deciduous : 

 lateral line nearly straight. 



One short dorsal fin, with the spines weak or absent, situated in the 

 posterior half of the body. Anal long, with one spine. Pectorals large, the 



