86 NATURAL HISTORY BULLETIN. 



Chaunax nuttingii sp. n. Plate in, fig. 2. 



B. 6; D. 2+13; A. 7; V. 4; P. 14; C. 9. 



This is the specimen referred to by Professor Nutting in 

 his preliminary report of the expedition (p. 149, pi. xiv, fig. 

 1) as "a strange pediculate fish." His artist overlooked the 

 anal fin; otherwise the form resembles that of Chaunax pictus, 

 but is shorter, broader, and possessed of more fin rays. An- 

 teriorly it is broad and depressed, posteriorly compressed. 

 From head to soft dorsal on the nape it is arched very little. 

 Head broader than high, flattened or slightly concave on the 

 occiput, nearly vertical on the chin. Snout short, broad, 

 truncate. Eye medium; the length of the scale less area cover- 

 ing it equals the width of that between the canals on the 

 interorbital space, or about two-thirds of the space itself; the 

 distance from the maxillary is about the ocular width. The 

 niche in which the first dorsal spine is received is subelliptical 

 and about three-fourths as long as the eye; the tentacle is 

 little more than half as long as the niche, is broad near the 

 base, tapers rapidly, and bears a two-lobed bait with slender 

 fringes. Mouth wide, oblique; maxillary about three times 

 as long as the eye, widened and rounded at the outer end; 

 interro axillaries alone forming upper border of mouth. Teeth 

 small, slender, sharp, in viliform bands. Origin of soft dorsal 

 in the middle of the distance from the rostral tentacle to the 

 base of the caudal fin, fourth ray above the gill opening, 

 anterior rays shorter. Vent below the seventh ray of the 

 second dorsal. Pectorals short, broad, rounded. The canals 

 of the lateral system are in the main like those of C. Rictus, 

 but have stronger curves; they begin to curve outward im- 

 mediately behind the niche, not remaining parallel or converg- 

 ing as in Lowe's species. Scales very fine, sharp and close 

 together. 



In life this fish was probably red or yellowish with transverse 

 cloudings or blotches of brownish; it is now dingy brownish 

 white. One of the blotches lies just behind the eye, another 

 lies below the orbit, and apparently three transverse bands 

 cross the back through the soft dorsal. Orbit blackish. Ten- 



