148 Natural History Bulletin, 



tioned a species of sea-horse, Hippocampus, one taken from a 

 depth of sixty fathoms and others from shallow water in the 

 Key West channel. The rapid vibration, resembling ciliary 

 action, of the fins is unlike that observed in any other fish 

 that we studied. The resemblace of these curious little 

 animals to the knights of the chess-board is rendered very 

 evident when the fish are erect, in their normal attitude. 

 Another striking form w^as probably a "flute-mouth,"' Aulas- 

 touia sp.? which was taken from the stomach of a dolphin and 

 is about four inches long, with sides covered with brilliant 

 silvery scales. The jaws, as the name implies, are very long 

 and tubular, with a small terminal mouth. The dorsal portion 

 of the animal is covered with scales edged with blackish, and 

 there are several dark blotches on the sides. Two small 

 species of sculpins were secured, both apparently belonging 

 to the genus Scorpceiia. One was dredged at about one 

 hundred and five fathoms. The scales are ctenoid, without 

 flaps; dorsal spines twelve; preopercular spines five; there 

 are five spines on the ridge over the eye. We noticed that 

 this, as well as other specimens from comparatively deep 

 water came up with the mouth open to its widest capacity, as 

 if the lish were suffering from strangulation. The other 

 sculpin was taken from a depth of sixty fathoms, was four and 

 one-half inches long, and had some of the ctenoid scales 

 armed with conspicuous fleshy flaps. The fins were barred 

 with brown, and the lower part of the sides marked with 

 small, sharpl}^ circumscribed black or brown spots. A fish 

 belonging to the "eel-pout" group (Zoarcid.-e) was taken 

 from a depth of one hundred and twenty fathoms, and was 

 eight inches long-, the anal and dorsal continuous, and the 

 ventrals jugular, reduced to two long, rather fleshy filaments. 

 A row of eight light or white spots ornamented the sides, and 

 there was a broad somewhat truncated muzzle projecting 

 over the mouth. The eyes were verv large. From the same 

 depth a codling, Phycis regius (Walb.) was secured, a long, 

 slender fish with barbels on the chin, and ventrals reduced to 

 two long filaments. The first dorsal is very small, lobate with 



