PEDICULATI, 475 



is reduced to a small tentacle above the snout ; the soft dorsal 

 of moderate length ; anal short ; ventrals j^resent. 



A deep-sea fish {Ch. pictus), of uniform pink colour; 

 hitherto found near Madeira and the Fidji Islands, at a depth 

 of 215 fathoms. 



Malthe. — Anterior portion of the body very broad and 

 depressed. The anterior part of the snout is produced into a 

 more or less prominent process, beneath which there is a tentacle 

 retractile into a cavity. Jaws and palate with villiform teeth. 

 Skin with numerous conical protuberances. Soft dorsal fin and 

 anal very short. Gill-opening superiorly in the axil ; gills two 

 and a half 



Although the rostral tentacle is situated at the lower side 

 of the projection of the snout, it must be regarded as the 

 homologue of a dorsal spine. In some of the preceding 

 genera, Oneirodes and Cliaunax, the first dorsal spine is so far 

 advanced on the snout as to coine into connection with the 

 intermaxillary processes ; and the position of the rostral 

 tentacle in Malthe is only a still more advanced step towards 

 the same special purj)ose for which the first dorsal spine is used 

 in this family, viz. for the purpose of obtaining food. In 

 Malthe it is obviously an organ of touch. This genus belongs 

 to the American shores of the Atlantic ; M. vespcrtilio being 

 a tropical, M. mhifrons a northern species. 



Halieut^A. — Head exceedingljdarge, depressed, nearly circular 

 in its circumference. Cleft of the mouth wide, horizontal. Jaws 

 with small rasp-like teeth ; palate smooth. Forehead with a 

 transverse bony bridge, beneath which is a tentacle (rostral spine) 

 retractile into a cavity. Body and head covered with small 

 stellate spines. Soft dorsal and anal very short. Gill-opening 

 superiorly in the axil ; gills two and a half. 



A coast-fish {K. stellata) from China and Japan. Frequently 

 found dry in Chinese insect-boxes. 



This genus appears to be represented in the Atlantic 

 Ocean by Halieutichthys from Cuba, and by Dihranchus, 



