REPORT ON THE DEEP-SEA FISHES. 96 



than one-fourth of the length of the head, as long as the snout, and exceeding the width 

 of the interorbital space. Violet. 



The single specimen from which these characters are taken is 16 inches long, and was 

 obtained by the U.S. Fish Commission in lat. 43° 41' N., and long. 59° 15' W. 



But this species seems to be abundant in the deep sea off the Atlantic coasts of the 

 United States, numerous examples having been taken in depths of from 30G to 1242 

 fathoms. Greatest length recorded, 1 8 inches. 



Salilota. 



Body oblong, covered with very small scales. Head thick, but rather compressed. 

 A separate caudal ; two dorsal fins and one anal. Ventrals with broad base, composed of 

 several (eight) rays. Abdominal cavity extending far behind the vent. Villiform teeth 

 of equal size in the jaws and on the vomer; none on the palatines. The first dorsal 

 with about nine rays. Chin with a barbel. Pyloric appendages very long, of moderate 

 number. 



This fish differs so strikingly from the typical Haloporphyrus, with which I at first 

 associated it, that its separation into a distinct genus seems to me justified. It forms a 

 passage to Lota, from which it difiers by an eutu-ely different form of the head. It is 

 not a deep-sea fish, and ought to have been included in the shore series. 



Salilota australis (PI. XVII. fig. B). 



Halopliorphyrus australis, Giinth., Ann. and Mag. Nat. Hist., 1878, vol. ii. p. 19. 



D. 9 I 50-52. A. 53. V. 8. Ccec. pyl. 17. 



The length of the head is one-fourth of the total (without caudal), and about twice 

 as long as the distance of the ventrals from the anal. The depth of the body is two-fifths 

 of the total. Snout obtuse, rounded, with the upper jaw overlapping the lower, as long as, or 

 rather longer than the eye, the diameter of which is one-fourth or two-ninths of the length 

 of the head. The maxillary extends somewhat behind the middle of the eye. Teeth villi- 

 form, forming bands. A small semicircular patch of similar teeth in the middle of the head 

 of the vomer. Barbel shorter than the eye. Interorbital space flat, wider than the eye. 

 There are about eighteen longitudinal series of scales between the anterior dorsal and the 

 lateral line. The first dorsal fin has no prolonged rays, and is not higher than the second, 

 situated behind the root of the pectoral. The second dorsal and and have the margin 

 somewhat emarginate, and terminate close to the caudal. Vent situated below the first 

 dorsal. Caudal slightly rounded. The length of the pectoral fin is two-thirds of that of 



