138 Oil Indian Deep-sea Dredging. 



anterior, which is tubular, is situated near the tip of the 

 snout, the posterior is a valved foramen lying immediately 

 before the angle of the eye. 



Mouth wide, its cleft being nearly half the head in length ; 

 small, sharp, close-set teeth in a single row in the mandible 

 and a double row in the maxilla ; vomer with three large 

 teeth in a longitudinal row. 



Gill-openings small, close together near mid-abdominal 

 line ; the gill-covers are formed of tough skin, in which 

 brancliiostegal rays are faintly apparent ; branchial arches 

 weak, gill-laminie broad. 



Skin scaleless, enveloped in thick, very tenacious mucus. 

 Lateral line a row of indistinct pores. Vertical fins confluent, 

 the dorsal beginning halfway between the gill-opening and 

 the vent, the anal immediately behind the vent. No pectoral 

 fins. 



The abdominal cavity extends almost to the tip of the 

 tail, its posterior part being occupied solely by the genital 

 glands and air-bladder. 



Stomach with a long tapering c^ecal sac reaching some 

 distance behind the vent, and with the oesophageal and pyloric 

 openings almost on the same level ; intestine forming a single 

 loop, the convexity of which embraces the gastric cgecum. 

 Air-bladder a long nacreous tube extending from the occiput 

 almost to the tip of the tail ; much inflated anteriorly and 

 tapering posteriorly to a fine thread. 



Colours in life deep purple-black. 



Two specimens, 9 and 10 inches long, from Station 120, 

 240 to 276 fathoms. 



They were alive on reaching the surface. 



EXPLANATION OF THE PLATES. 



Plate VII. 



Fig. 1. Dibranchus nasutus. 



Fig. 2. Dibranchus macroptis, dorsal view. 



Fig. 2 a. Ditto, ventral view. 



Fig, 2 b. Ditto, end-on view. 



Fig. 3. Saccogaster maculata, $ . 



Plate VIII. 



Fig. 1 . Haliemetus ruber, dorsal view. 

 Fig. 1 a. Ditto, ventral view. 

 Fig. 1 b. Ditto, lateral view of tail. 

 Fig. 2. Malthopsis luteus, dorsal view. 

 Fig. 2 a. Ditto, ventral view. 



[To be continued.] 



