REPORT ON THE DEEP-SEA FISHES. 



of the head, also the snout and iutoroi-bital space, are studded with minute or very small 

 spines resting upon a stellate base. A series of larger spines runs along the median 

 line of the back and tail, commencing immediately behind the occiput. A group of 

 three similar spines occupies each side of the shoulder ; a short series composed of three 

 or four spines along the supraorbital margin and above the spiracle. The spines alono- 

 the ridges of the snout are also somewhat enlarged. Greyish-brown above with a trace 

 of a darker spot on each side of the body. Lower parts white, with large sub- 

 symmetrical brown patches. In very young specimdfis the lower parts are uniform 

 white. 



Habitat. — A large male specimen, 24| inches long, was obtained on the cruise of the 

 "Knight Errant," at Station 9, on August 23 (1880), in 608 fathoms, together with 

 three small ones, of which two are males 6i inches long, and one a female 8 inches long. 

 A fourth very young male specimen was caught at Station 4 in about 400 fathoms. 



The Norwegian expedition obtained one male only, at 115 kils. west of the Norsk 

 Islands, Spitzbergen, at the depth of 4.59 fathoms. 



Mr. Collett's description of this species is so detailed, that I need only refer to those 

 points in which our specimens differ from his, or in which I can supplement his 

 observations. 



The most important difference between the specimens obtained by the Norwegian and 

 British expeditions is the number of scapular spines, which in the former is only two, 

 whilst four of our five specimens show three placed in a triangle. 



In our old specimen the two dorsal fins are joined at the base, but a small spine 

 intervenes between them in our young specimens. The young sjsecimens are more 

 uniformly covered with those minute spinelets described in the adult fish, but the larger 

 spines are much more acute and prominent, longer and claw-like. The number of the 

 median series varies: in the adult there are 8-f-19, in the three young males G-f 10, 

 8 -f- 16, and 11+ 21 ; in the young female 7 + 17. 



This deep-sea species of Eay shows some striking peculiarities. The teeth are 

 remarkably slender, small, irregularly and widely set, different from those of other 

 British Eays. In young specimens, at any rate, those of the male do not differ from 

 those of the female. The mucous membrane behind the upper jaw forms a pad with a 

 lobulated surface. The mucous cavities of the head are extremely wide ; and finally, 

 the accessory copulatory organs have a spongy appearance and are flexible, the cartilage 

 by which they are supported being a simple slender rod. Fig. A represents the adult 

 male three-sevenths of the natural size ; fig. B, a young of the natural size ; and 

 fig. C is a separate view of the mouth of the adult specimen. 



(ZOOL. ClIALL. EXP. — PART LVH. — 1SS6,) T-11 2 



