REPORT ON THE DEEP-SEA FISHES. 



61 



Cottunculus thomsonii (PI. IX. fig. B). 



Cotttis thomsonii,, GiintL, Proo. Roy. Soc. Edin., vol. xi, 1882, p. 679. 

 Cottunculus torvus, Goode, Bull. Mus. Comp. Zool., vol. x., 5, 1883, p. 212. 



D. /v- A. 13. P. 22. 



Like the typical species of Cottunculus, tlie present has the two dorsal fins enveloped 

 in a common and cutaneous fold, so that the division between them can be ascertained 

 only by dissection. But the head is much more depressed (as in an ordinary Coitus), 

 and the skin is apparently quite smooth and rather loose, minute granules being scattered 

 over the back. The protuberances on the various bones of tlie head are arranged as in 

 Cottunculus microps, those of the prseoperculum slightly piercing the skin, whilst those on 

 the top of the head are comparatively less developed. The head is much wider than deep, 

 its greatest width being rather less than its length, which is contained twice and two- 

 thirds in the total, without caudal. The eye equals the length of the snout, and is a 

 little less than one-fourth of that of the head. The bony portion of the interorbital space 

 is flat, less wide than the orbit ; and the quadrangular space enclosed by lines connecting 

 the four projections on the top of the head is nearly twice as long as broad. 



Mouth wide, with projecting lower jaw, and with the maxillary not quite reaching to 

 below the middle of the eye. Vomerine teeth separated in the middle, each half forming 

 an elongate oval patch. Gill-membrane confluent with the isthmus opposite to the 

 lowermost pectoral ray. 



The dorsal fin commences above the gill-opening, and is rather low in its anterior 

 portion ; the soft rays are more distinct externally than the spinous, and much longer, 

 this part of the fin being about as high as the body underneath is deep. The anal fin is 

 much lower and commences at some distance behind the vent. Caudal fin narrow at the 

 base, half as long as the head, subtruncated, with rounded corners. Pectorals extending 

 nearly to the origin of the anal ; ventrals small and not reaching to the vent. 



The colour is now of that dirty whitish tint into which the pink hue of many fishes 

 changes after death ; and it is probable that this species is red during life ; the fins have 

 a greyish shade. 



Habitat.— h\mQ Channel, Station 4 "Knight Errant," August 10, 1880; depth, 535 

 fathoms. One specimen, 7\ inches long. 



