EEPORT ON THE DEEP-SEA FISHES. 113 



Porogadus miles. 



Porogadus miles, Goode and Bean, Proc. U.S. Nat. Mus., vol. viii., 1886, p. 602. 



Tail much attenuated, the length of the head being contained six and a half times in 

 the total. Eye contained five and three-quarter times in the length of the head, and 

 rather less than the width of the interorbital space. The maxillarj- extends far behind 

 the eye. Head with numerous spines on the interorbital space, two pairs on the shoulders, 

 one at the angle of the operculum, and a double series on the angle of the praaoper- 

 culum ; and with numerous mucous pores. Behind each posterior nostril a strong spine, 

 projecting outwards and backwards. The distance between the root of the ventrals and 

 the vent nearly equals the length of the head. Origin of the dorsal somewhat behind 

 the vertical from the base of the pectoral. Blackish-brown. 



Habitat. — A single specimen, 153 mm. long, was obtained by the U.S. Fish Com- 

 mission in lat. 38° 27' N., long. 73° 0' W., at a depth of 1168 fathoms. 



Porogadus rostratus, n. sp. (PI. XXIV. fig. B). 



B. 8. D. 120. A. 95 (?). P. 21. V. 2. 



This species diff'ers strikingly from the two preceding by its much shorter form, and 

 by the peculiar shape of its snout. 



The body is moderately compressed, the head depressed, especially in its rostral 

 portion. The greatest depth of the former is about the middle of the abdomen, and two- 

 fifths of the length of the trunk, of which the head forms a little more than one-half. 

 The trunk (including the head) is fully two-thirds of the length of the tail, which rapidly 

 tapers to a fine point. 



Head as broad as high, its width being equal to the length of the postorbital portion ; 

 snout depressed, with its central portion slightly produced, overlapping the lower jaw. 

 Mouth wide, extending to the hind margin of the orbit. Eye small, immediately below 

 the upper profile, one-ninth of the length of the head, one-third of that of the snout, and 

 two-fifths of the width of the flat interorbital space. The nostrils are somewhat remote 

 from each other, the posterior being wide, round and open. The folds of the mucous 

 membrane of the nasal cavity are arranged in two rows, forming together a longitudmal 

 pad with a linear base. 



The bones of the head are rather thin, and the superficial shaped into large sinuses. 

 Spines are developed on the operculum, which is armed above with a short horizontal 

 spine ; on the pr^operculum, the margin of which is irregularly crcnulatod ; behind the 

 supraciliary edge, where a sliort spine points backwards ; and finally, behind the posterior 

 nostril, which is separated from the orbit by a very short spinous projection. The 

 muciferous channels are very wide, that of the frontal bone opens in front by a wdde 



(ZOOL. CHALL. EXP. — PART LVII.— 188G.) 



