REPORT ON THE DEEP-SEA FISHES. 77 



Lycodes esmarkii. 



Lycodes esmarkii, Collett, Norsk. Nordh. Exped. Fisk., p. 84, pi. ii. figs. 19-21, pi. iii. fig. 22; 

 Nyt Mag. f. Naturvid. Christ., vol. sviii., 1884, p. 73. 



This species, which has been distinguished from Lycodes vahlii hy Collett on perhaps 

 too indistinct characters, was found by the North Atlantic expedition off the Lofoten 

 Islands and on the north west-coast of Spitzbergen in depths varying from 260 to 459 

 fathoms. During the cruise of the " Knight Errant " in the Faroe Channel, two specimens 

 10^ inches long were obtained in 608 fathoms (Station 9, August 23, 1882). Indi- 

 viduals from the Varangerfjord, for which we are indebted to Hr. CoUett, exceed 2 

 feet in length. According to him the species occurs also in the AVestern Atlantic, off the 

 coast of Nova Scotia. 



Lycodes reticulatus (PI. XIII.). 



Lycodes reticulatm, Reinh., K. dansk. Vidensk. Selsk. Afhandl, vii., 1838, p. 167, tab. vi. 

 „ „ Liitken, Vid. Meddel. nat. Foreu. Kjobenliavn, 1880, p. 318. 



„ „ Collett, Norsk. Nordh. Exped. Fisk., p. 105. 



Lycodes perspicilluni, Krijy., K. dansk. Vidensk. Selsk. Afhandl, xi., 1845, p. cexxxviii., 

 Gaim., Voy. Scand. Poiss., pi. vii. ; Nat. Hist. Tidsskr., 1862, p. 289 

 (young). 

 Lycodes rossii, Malmgren, Ofversigt k. Vetensk.-Akad. FLirliandl., 1865, p. 516 (young) 



(Spitzbergen). 

 Lycodes gracilis, Sars, Forhandl. Vidensk. Selsk. Christ., 1866, p. 40, pi. i. figs. 1-3 (young) 



(Christiania Fjord). 

 Lycodes lUtkenii, CoUett, loc. cit, p. 103, pi. iii. fig. 25. 



„ „ Liitken, Kara-Havets Fisk. in Dij mphna-Togtet, tab. xvi. 



The first specimens of this species were brought from the coast of Greenland ; at a 

 later period young specimens of apparently the same species were found at Spitzbergen 

 and on the coast of Norway, and described under distinct names. Finally Hr. CoUett is 

 of opinion that an example, 14 inches long, obtained in the open sea, west of North 

 Spitzbergen, in 459 fathoms, also represents a distinct species, though very closely allied 

 to Lycodes i^eticulatus, which he named Lycodes lilthenii. On reading his somewhat 

 lengthy description of this individual, I could not help entertaining some doubts as 

 to the propriety of separating it from Lycodes reticulatus, and these doubts were 

 increased by the examination of an example, 22 inches long, which the " Knight Errant " 

 obtained in the Faroe Channel at Station No. 9, August 1882, in 608 fathoms. It might 

 be referred to either Lycodes reticidatm or Lycodes lUtkenii, or distinguished as a 

 separate species, if no regard be paid to changes of form (to which very old examples 

 must be subject), or no allowance be made for slight variation. In a paper on the fishes 

 of the Kara Sea, received whilst this Report is passing through the press, I find that 



