240 J. H. ASHWOIiTH. 



the four anterior diaphragms. The other references to 

 Scalibregma in zoological literature are mostly mere 

 records of its capture, chiefly in Norwegian waters. 



3. Distribution and Habits. 



Scalibregma inflatum is recorded chiefly from the 

 North Atlantic and Arctic Oceans; but it is not restricted to 

 these northern seas. The" Challenger" (see Mcintosh, 1885, 

 p. 359) captured this species at two stations in southern seas, 

 viz. at station 141, between the Cape of Good Hope and 

 Marion Island, where numerous specimens were dredged 

 from a depth of 98 fathoms, and at station 169, ofi' the east 

 coast of North Island of New Zealand, where a single speci- 

 men was obtained from a depth of 700 fathoms. 



It is interesting to find that these southern specimens 

 correspond very closely with those obtained from European 

 seas. Mcintosh states that the southern specimens are some- 

 what smaller than European examples, the largest one taken 

 by the "Challenger" being 18 mm. long. This is not a 

 character of any importance, as the size of Scalibregma 

 varies between wide limits. Most of the northern specimens 

 are little, if any, larger than those taken by the " Challenger." 

 Of eleven specimens sent to me from Bergen, six are be- 

 tween 12 and 15 mm. long, two are incomplete but would 

 probably be about 13 and 20 mm. long ; the other three are 

 26, 35, and 56 mm. long respectively, while eight of the ten 

 complete specimens from the east coast of the United States 

 are between 5 and 9 mm. long. Mcintosh remarks that the 

 gills of southern forms are smaller than those of Norwegian 

 examples; but this, again, is a very variable character, de- 

 pending on the age and size of the specimen. We may 

 conclude, therefore, that the specimens of Scalibregma 

 obtained by the " Challenger " are not distinguishable by 

 any essential and constant character from those taken in the 

 North Atlantic. ' 



S. inflatum occurs in the Arctic Ocean as far eastward as 



