"^"im'"] PROCEEDINGS OF THE NATIONAL MUSEUM. 89 



Preoperciilar spines two ouly, short, simple, the lower directed 

 backwards, the upper backwards aud upwards. Nasal spines long and 

 strong, a depression behind them; head otherwise smooth. Occiput 

 not ridged. 



A series of large, keeled, spinous plates along lateral line, running 

 high on sides; their free edge is turned obliquely upwards, and armed 

 with from' one to several long spines mesially, and shorter ones above 

 and below ; a row of minute spinous plates along upper edge of series 

 anteriorly. The series along lateral line is continued forwards on top 

 of head, meeting its fellow in a V shaped patch filling posterior portion 

 of interorbital space. Similar plates on snout and opercle, the head 

 and body otherwise naked. In cross-section, the plates mark an abrupt 

 angle, the back being flat, the sides vertical. 



Head 4i to 4i in length ; depth, 8i to 9i ; D. VIII to X-2L or 2'J; A. 

 23 or 24. Lat I, 38 to 40. Length, 5 to 6 inches. 



Dorsal spines slender, the two fins well separated. Eays of soft 

 dorsal and anal very slender, rather long. Caudal truncate or rounded, 

 two-thirds head. Pectorals with eighteen or nineteen rays, the lower 

 much shortened, but scarcely thickened, as long as head. Ventrals 

 long and slender, with one spine and three well developed rays, reach- 

 ing to or nearly to vent. Anal papilla very long in males, more than 

 one-third head. 



Color: Light olivaceous, with a series of elongate, narrow, brown 

 streaks along middle of sides, the latter also finely punctate with 

 black. A dark streak in front of eye. Fins translucent, the dorsals, 

 pectorals, and caudal, with some black spotting, which shows a ten- 

 dency to form bars. Anal and ventrals white. 



Numerous specimens, from stations 3046, 3057, 3058, and 3059, in 

 depths of from 43 to 77 fathoms. 



Bathyagonus gen. nov. {Agonidcc). 



Spinous dorsal developed. Lower jaw the longer. Plates of body 

 spinous. Gill membranes united to the isthmus, not forming a fold 

 across it. Teeth well developed on jaws, vomer, and palatines. Pec- 

 torals not notched, the upper rays the longest, the lower becoming 

 regularly shortened. Bones of head thin and yielding, the system of 

 mucous canals very strongly developed. 



Type, Bathyagonus nigripinnis sp. nov. 



49. Bathyagonus nigripinnis sp. nov. 



Body exceedingly slender, depressed, everywhere as wide as or wider 

 than deep. Snout wide, flattened, transversely depressed in front of 

 eyes, its width more than twice its greatest depth. 



Eyes large, the orbit 2| in head. Interorbital space 3^ in orbit, 

 grooved, with a pair of ridges. 



