218 THE VOYAGE OF H.M.S. CHALLENGER. 



Argentina sphyriena, L. 



Osmerus hebridicus, Yarrell. 



Argentina sphyrxna, CoDett, Norg. Fisk.', p. 171; Forhandl. Vidensk. Selsk. Christ., 1880, p. 92. 



Argentina decagon, Clarke, Trans. New ZeaL Inst., vol. xi., 1879, p. 295. 



Known jBrom tlie Mediterranean as well as the North Atlantic ; and not rarely found 

 in deep water on the Norwegian coast. CoUett, who showed that the Osmerus 

 hebridicus should not be separated from this species, gives 200 fathoms as the depth at 

 which specimens were secured, and they were taken from the stomach of a Molva 

 vulgans. 



This species seems to occur also on the coast of New Zealand ; at least, I am unable 

 to distinguish from it the Argentina decagon of Clarke, described from a specimen found 

 at Hokitika. 



Argentina lioglossa, Cuv. Val. 



From the Mediterranean. This fish has not been found again since the discovery of 

 the typical specimens. 



Argentina elongata (PI. LV. fig. B). 



Argentina elongata, Hutton, Ann. and Mag. Nat. Hist., 1879, vol. iii. p. 53. 



This Antarctic species is known from a single young example only, not in a good state 

 of preservation, 3^ inches long, and obtained at Port Campbell, New Zealand. It is 

 evidently distinct from the Atlantic species, and characterised by a narrow and prolonged 

 head. 



D. 10. A. 11. P. 15. V. 12. L. lat. ca. 50. 



Head and body low, shghtly compressed ; the length of the former is contained thrice 

 and one-fifth in the total (without caudal), the depth of the body eight times. The 

 diameter of the eye is scarcely more than one-fourth of the length of the head, and much 

 shorter than the long and pointed snout. Tongue with a series of curved teeth on each 

 side. The origin of the dorsal fin is somewhat nearer to the end of the snout than to the 

 root of the caudal ; ventrals opposite to the last dorsal rays. Scales without denticulations 

 (only a few on the tail are preserved). Body with a silvery longitudinal band. 



Microstoma, Cuv. 



The evidence as to the bathybial habits of these small fishes is merely circumstantial. 

 They seem to have the same vertical range as Argentina, but are much more rarely 



