450 Mr. A. Alcock on the Bathybial Fishes > 
LVIi.—Natural History Notes from H.M. Indian Marine 
Survey Steamer ‘Investigator,’ Commander Alfred Carpen- 
ter, R.N., D.S.O., commanding.—No. 13. On the Bathybial 
Fishes of the Bay of Bengal and neighbouring waters, 
obtained during the seasons 1885-1889. By ALFRED 
Acock, M.B., Surgeon-Naturalist to the Survey. 
[Concluded from p. 399. | 
Family Scopelide. 
BatuyPrerois, Gthr. 
Bathypterois Guenther, sp. nov. 
Bala DMs. As les gee 2 /6/>. WV. 8. 1C-20: 
late eres ob. "Ws-brs 3. 
Body elongate and compressed, its height nearly one sixth 
of the total, without caudal. Head contained nearly three 
and a half times in the same measure; depressed, flat- 
crowned, as broad as deep. Snout broad, depressed, rounded, 
duck-bill shaped, with a median intermaxillary notch, into 
which a strong recurved projection of the very prominent 
mandible fits; its length one third that of the head; its sur- 
face with numerous large pores. A wide mucous channel 
with a line of large pores along the under surface of the broad 
mandibles. Eyes minute, situated near the vertical middle of 
the maxilla, close to its edge, a snout-length apart ; the orbital 
margins rounded and inflated. Interorbital space flat from 
side to side. Nostrils small, superior, far in advance of the 
eye. Cleft of mouth extremely wide, slightly oblique ; the 
maxilla, which has a dilated, abruptly-truncated, hinder end, 
is nearly two thirds the head-length. Villiform teeth in broad 
bands on the outer edges of the strong jaw-bones, and in a 
minute patch on each side of the expanded vomer. Gill-cleft 
reaching to the fore end of the isthmus; gill-laminz broadish ; 
gill-rakers numerous, close-set, long, bristle-like, except on 
the fourth arch. Body and head, except the Jaws and front 
part of the vertex of the snout, covered with large, thin, 
smooth scales, those on the sides of the head rather deciduous, 
those on its crown enlarged. ‘The caudal and paired fins with 
one or more extremely stout, rigid, prolonged rays ; the inter- 
radial membrane of all the fins except the caudal covered 
with a thick, black, velvety, deciduous integument. The 
dorsal begins a little in advance of the vertical middle line, 
