60 



Bistrihutioii : Caribbean Sea and Atlantic coasts of N. America to 40° N., 

 between 68 and 324 fathoms : Bay of Bengal and Andaman Sea 107 to 194 

 fathoms : Sea of Japan. 



A series dredged in the Andaman Sea shows that B. gobioides is the adult 

 of B. caudimamla. The latter name has the priority. 



Chiasmodus, Johnson. 



Chiasmodug, Johnson, Proo. Zool. Soc. 1863, p. 40S and Ann. Mag. Nat. Hist. (3) XIV. 1864, p. 76 : Gunther, 

 Cat. Fishes V. p. 435, and Challenger Deep-Sea Fishes, p. 99 : Goode and Bean, Oceanic Ichthyology, p. 291 

 Jordan and Evermann, Fishes of N. America, III. p. 2291. 



Ponerodon, Alcock, Ann. Mag. Nat. Hist. (6) VI. 1890, p. 203, and (6) VII. 1891, pp. 9, 10. 



Pseudoscopehis, Liitken, Vid. Selsk. Skr. 1892, 6 Esek. nat. math. Afd. VII. 6. pp. 285, 297. 



Body elongate, naked. Byes lateral. Two separate dorsal fins, of which the 

 second is much the longer and is equal opposite and similar to the anal ; ven- 

 trals thoracic ; pectoral rays branched. Caudal forked, cleft of mouth extreme- 

 ly wide ; jaws distensible and armed with canine teeth, as are also the palatines. 

 Gill-openings very wide, the gill-membranes united only quite anteriorly ; 

 preoperculum with a (small) spine at its angle ; seven branchiostegals ; pseudo- 

 branchiiB. Lateral line single, uninterrupted. Abdominal cavity enormously 

 distensible. An air-bladder. No pyloric ca^ca. No anal papilla. Vertebras 

 14/24. Mucous system of the head well developed. 



30. Chiasmodus Uiger, Johnson. 



Chiasmodus niger, Johnson, P. Z. S. 1863, p. 408 and Ann. Mag. Nat. Hist. (3) XIV. 1864, p. 76 : Gunther, 

 Cat. Pishe.?, V. p. 435 and Challenger Deep-Sea Pishes, p. 99 : Carte, P. Z. S. 1866, p. 35, pi. ii : Jordan and 

 Gilbert, Cat Pish. N. America, p. 119 : A. Agassiz, Bnll. Mns. Comp. Zool. XV. 1888, p. 29, fig. 208 : Goode and 

 Bean, Oceanic Ichthyology, p. 292, fig. 264. 



Ponerodon vastator, Alcock, Ann. Mag. Nat. Hist. (6) VI. 1890, p. 203, pl.is. fig. 5. 



Chias7nodus niger, Alcock, Illusteations of the Zoology of the Investigator, Fishes, pl. XXVIII. fig. 3. 



B.7. D.X.29. A.29. V.I.5. 



Body somewhat elongate and compressed, its height being 4- in the total 

 without the caudal. 



Head low, long, and compressed, its length being 3| in the same standard ; 

 its surface is studded with pores, those on the crown being elliptical and 

 arranged in numerous longitudinal rows. A very large pore, almost as big as 

 the anterior nostril, in front of the upper angle of the orbit. 



Snout depressed, tapering, and rounded, its length being twice the diameter 

 of the eye and about one-fourth the length of the head ; the lower jaw projects 

 slightly. Eyes lateral, small, circular, deep-set ; interorbital space nearly twice 

 the diameter of the eye and nearly flat from side to side ; it is traversed by two 

 anteriorly-converging ridges which enclose a V-shaped space. Nostrils large, 

 superior, situated near the tip of the snout. 



