REPORT ON THE DEEP-SEA FISHES. 139 



third times in the length of the head, and not much shorter than the snout or than the 

 width of the interorbital space ; eye surrounded by a broad orbital membrane. Mouth 

 wide, lateral, extending beyond the middle of the eye. Teeth of the outer series in the 

 upper jaw visibly stronger than the remainder. Barbel shorter than the eye. Prseoper- 

 culum with the hind margin not excised, and with both limbs densely scnly. 



Scales small and comparatively thin, but regularly arranged, with five radiating spiny 

 ridges, the spines being very small. There are eleven or twelve scales in a transverse 

 series between the first dorsal fin and the lateral line. Second dorsal spine considerably 

 produced, armed in front with rather distant barbs, more conspicuous in the upper half 

 of the spine. The second dorsal fin commences at a short distance behind the first. 

 The outer ventral ray produced into a filament. 



Habitat. — South of Yeddo, Station 237; depth, 1875 fathoms. One specimen, 19 

 inches long. 



Ofi" Japan, Station 235 ; depth, 565 fathoms. Two specimens, 6 inches long. 



This is one of the species in which the characteristic physiognomy of the typical 

 Macruri commences to be lost. The infraorbital ridge is still visible, but is not the 

 boundary between the side and lower portion of the head ; in fact, the space between 

 the eye and mouth is vertical, and the cleft of the mouth is lateral, and inferior in front 

 only. Also the cheeks and prajopcrculum are those of an ordinary Gadoid. The 

 scales, although they are still ridged, are much less hard than in the typical Macruri. 



Subgenus Mystaconurus. 



Macrurus longibarhis {PI. XVIII. fig. C). 



B. 6. D. 10. P. 11. V. 8. 



Snout short, obtuse, with the anterior profile descending in a parabolic curve ; mouth 

 terminal and lateral, wide, extending beyond the middle of the orbit. Eye very large, 

 more than one-third of the length of the head, much more than that of the snout, and 

 twice as wide as the interorbital space. Teeth in both jaws in narrow vUliform bands. 

 Barbel long, two-thirds as long as the head. Praeoperculum with the hind margin not 

 excised, without marginal denticulation, and scaleless, like the whole head. 



The scales are very large, in two and a half series above the lateral line ; and in 

 eleven between the vent and the dorsal fin. In the young specimen described they are 

 cycloid, but with minute spinelets now and then appearing on the surface. The dorsal 

 spine is smooth. The pectoral fin has a very narrow base and is about two-thii'ds of the 

 length of the head. The ventral with the outer ray produced into a longish filament, 



