181 



The dorsal and anal fins, which are equal, opposite, and similar, lie in the 

 posterior third of the body, and approach within an eye-length of the long series 

 of rudimentary rays that form the base of the deep-forked caudal. The ventrals 

 lie well within the posterior half of the body, and the pectorals arise on the 

 ventral profile, almost in the same horizontal line with the ventrals. 



The stomach is siphonal and its pyloric end is embraced by a row of seven 

 or eight ciEcal appendages, the posterior six of which are relatively enormous ; 

 the intestine has an anterior much-coiled portion and a hinder portion which 

 passes perfectly straight backwards, much as in Alepocephalus bicoJor and 

 A. Blanfordii, to its orifice just in advance of the posterior third of the body. 



Colour uniform jet-black. 



A mature female is nearly 6 inches long. 



Bay of Bengal, off Madras coast, 678 fathoms ; Arabian Sea, off Travancore 

 coast, 430 fathoms. 



Eegd. Nos. 13193, ^, ^. 



This species chiefly differs from X. socialis Vaillant, with specimens of which 

 I have compared it, in having a longer and sharper snout, and much fewer dorsal 

 and anal fin-rays. 



I have described the ova of this fish in the Annals and Magazine of Natural 

 History for November 1892. The largest ova are between 2 and 3 millim. in 

 diameter. 



144. Xenodertnichtltys sqitarnilaterus, Alcock. 



Xenodermichthys squantilaterns, Alcock, Ann. Mac;. Nat. Hist., Aug. 1898, p. 148 : Illustrations of thk 

 Zoology of the Investigator, Fishes, pl. XXV. fig. i. 



B. 6. D. 20. A. 18. P. G. V. 6. 



Distinguished from X. Oiintheri, which it very closely resembles, by the 

 following characters : — 



1. The lateral line is a salient tube which runs straight down the middle 

 of the body and is stiffened by thin subcutaneous equidistant scales : between 

 every two scales there is a pore. 



2. The snout is shorter and blunter, and the eye is rather smaller, its dia- 

 meter being one-fourth the length of the head. 



Length 6 inches. 



Colour : uniform jet black. 



Andaman Sea, 370 to 419 fathoms. 



Regd. No. ^. 



