THE 



VOYAGE OF H.M.S. CHALLENGER. 



ZOOLOGY. 



REPORT on the Deep-Sea Fishes collected by H.M.S. Challenger daring the 

 Years 1873-76. By Dr. Albert Gunthek, M.A., M.D., Ph.D., F.R.S., 

 Keeper of the Department of Zoology in the British Museum. 



PEEFACE. 



Although the collection of Deep-Sea Fishes which was made by the naturalists of 

 H.M.S. Challenger was entrusted to me for investigation nearly ten years ago, the 

 preparation of this Eeport was delayed by the pressure of other engagements, especially 

 an increase of official duties. Only during the last two years I was able to steadily 

 apply myseK in my leisure hours to the work of re-examining the specimens and of 

 preparing the present Report for press. 



This delay appeared to be the less a matter of regret as it was known that deep-sea 

 explorations were being actively carried on by two Institutions of the United States of 

 America, and by the Norwegian, Italian and French Governments. As these expetlitions 

 had the great advantage of profiting by the experiences of the Challenger, and were likely 

 to materially increase our knowledge of bathybial fishes, and to elucidate points which the 

 Challenger with its initial apparatus had left obscure (such as the vertical range of 

 pelagic forms), it seemed advantageous, in order to produce a complete account of the fish 

 fauna of the deep sea, to await the publication of the results of those explorations. The 

 hope, however, of utilizing those results for the present work became fainter, as in tlie 

 succeeding years only more or less fragmentary and preliminary notices appeared, with 

 one exception, viz., that of the valuable Report on the Fishes of the Norwegian North 

 Atlantic Expedition. 



(ZOOL. CHALL. EXP. — PAKT LVII. — 1887.) - ^ Lll ffl 



