Holt and Oalderwood — Report on the Rarer Fishes. 



451 



Li'pidoleprus ccelorhyncJms, 

 Macrourus coelorhynchiis^ . 



Sub-genus Cselorhynchus. 



Macrurus cselorhynchus, Risso. (Deep-sea.) 



(PI. XL., figs. 2 and 2a). 



Risso, " Ichtli. Nice," p. 200. 



BoNAP., " Faun. Ital. Peso." (pi. xxx., Macrourus 



mysticetus). 

 Costa, "Faun. Najj.," Gen. macr., p. 2. 

 Canesteini, "Arch. Zool.," ii., p. 374. 

 Johnson, "Ann. Mag. Nat. Hist.," 1862, p. 169. 

 GiJNTHER, " Chall.," vol. xxii., p. 128. 

 Gunther, " Ann. Mag. Nat. Hist.," 1889, p. 417. 

 Vaillant, " Exp. Sci. Trav. Talism.," Poiss., p. 247. 

 Bourne, "Jour. M.B.A.," N.S., vol. i., p. 311. 

 ScHARFF, " Proc. R.I. Acad.," 3rd S., vol. i., p. 459. 

 Holt, " Proc. Roy. Dub. Soc," vol. vii., p. 122. 

 Lowe, " Proc. Zool. Soc. Lond., 1839," p. 88. 

 Gunther, "Cat. Fish. Brit. Mus.," vol. iv., p. 392. 



Diagnosis OF Species. (D.9-10*; P. 18-20; Pelv. 7.)— Snout moderately 

 produced, angular in front, a little shorter than, or equal to, the eye, the diameter 

 of which equals three times the distance from tip of snout to base of first dorsal 

 fin-ray. The interorbital space varies from 1| diameters of eye in specimens of 

 24 cm. to If in specimens of 12 cm. Scales of moderate size, covered with 

 minute spines, giving a granular aj^pearance to their surface. The spines are not 

 numerous, and are arranged in three imperfect rows, the central being the longest. 



There are five or six scales in a transverse row between the first dorsal fin and 

 the lateral line. Dorsal spine smooth. The distance between the vent and 

 isthmus becomes slightly greater with the growth of the individual. In small 

 specimens the vent is situated on a level with the posterior spine of first dorsal fin. 

 Outer pelvic ray produced into a short filament. Muciferous cavities exist in the 

 snout and interorbital region, above the operculum, and round the eye. There is 

 a scaleless oval depression between the pelvic fins, black in colour. 



Colours. — Dull silvery grey on the sides and back ; black on the abdomen in 

 the region of the pelvic fins. 



Sise. — The species does not appear to reach a large size. An example 

 measuring 12 inches is mentioned by Gunther. In the above diagnosis this 

 specimen, and the smallest of our own, 4f inches long, must be considered in 

 interpreting the terms "large" and "small." 



* The short anterior spine, usually hidden by the skin, is not counted. 



3S2 



