136 Messrs. J. Wood-Mason and A. Alcock on 



was included with Gavialicej^s microps in a new genus. The 

 examination of full-grown individuals in good preservation 

 shows that this species has no place in the genus Gavialicejis, 

 which is a true Nemichthyine form without pectoral lins, 

 but that it ought to be ranked with Nettastoma. The 

 following description applies to the adult : — 



Head and snout depressed, body cylindrical, tail long and 

 tapering. The length of the head is contained about 1| times 

 in that of the rest of the trunk, the length of the tail is nearly 

 twice that of the combined head and trunk. The snout forms 

 a long, depressed, tapering beak, from 4^ to 4| times the 

 length of the eye and a little more than one third the length 

 of the head ; and, owing to the projection of the suddenly- 

 expanded head of the elongated vomer beyond the abruptly 

 ending maxilla3, it appears bilaterally notched near the tip. 



There is an oval nostril situated laterally nearly midway 

 between the eye and the tip of the snout, and in front of it a 

 subtubular one. Mucous cavities of the head much deve- 

 loped and opening by large pores on the vertex, snout, and 

 cheek. 



Mouth with a wide cleft extending behind the level of the 

 posterior border of the orbit. The upper jaw projects beyond 

 the lower, which latter, after tapering gradually, becomes 

 suddenly expanded near the symphysis, in the same way as 

 does the head of the vomer. Small, sharp, close-set teeth in 

 both jaws in several fairly regular longitudinal series, those 

 at the mandibular symphysis enlarged and recurved ; three 

 rows of more distant teeth on the elongate limb of the vomer, 

 those of the outer rows being inconspicuous and those of the 

 middle row much enlarged ; and a patch of small close- set 

 teeth on the spathulate head of this bone. Tongue fleshy, 

 fixed. 



Gill-openings of moderate size, almost meeting in the mid- 

 abdominal line ; 3^ gills. 



Head and body covered with a thick, velvety, scaleless, 

 deciduous, jet-black skin. Lateral line a row of large pores. 

 The dorsal fin commences a little in advance of the level of 

 the gill-opening. 



Stomach with a very long cgecal sac. 



Numerous sexually mature males and females nearly 2 feet 

 in length and several young ones, from Station 120, 240 to 

 276 fathoms. 



The young ones are silvery, with pigment only in scattered 

 .specks. 



All the specimens were alive and very active on reaching 

 the surface. 



