of the Fishes of the Family Lophiid*. 



285 



surface of the pectorals is broader and less clearly defined 

 i\^?^w \n L. piscatorius. In one specimen 1 have ascertained 

 the number of vertebrae to be 28, 8 of which are behind the 

 vertebra below the last dorsal ray. Cuvier gives the number 

 as 25, and Bonaparte as 27-30. 

 Hah. Mediterranean. 



Lophius Vaillantij sp. n. 

 Five specimens, the largest 270 mm. in total length, were 

 taken by the 'Talisman^ at the Azores and Cape Verde 

 Islands at depths of 460-760 metres ; one of these is in the 

 British Museum, the others in the Museum of Natural 

 History at Paris. Professor Vaillant has very kindly looked 

 at these latter, and confirms my opinion that they belong to 

 a species distinct from L. ptscatorius, differing notably in the 

 feeble ossification of the skeleton, delicacy of the tissues, 

 more elongate body, long slender teeth, bifid humeral spine, 

 larger eye, shorter snout, and slender rays of spinous dorsal — 

 characters which indicate that this fish probably descends 

 to considerable depths. In thesinglespecimen I haveexamined 

 there are VI, 10 dorsal, 10 anal, and 25 pectoral rays ; 14-16 

 teeth in the posterior series of the premaxillary, and one on 

 each side of the vomer. Owing to the great delicacy of the 

 tissues, there is a large hole torn in the abdomen, which has 

 enabled me to see the anterior part of the vertebral column 

 without further injury to tlie fish, from which I should judge 

 that the vertebrae may be in somewhat greater number than 

 in L. piscatorius. The measurements of this specimen are as 

 follows : — Total length with caudal 266 mm. ; length without 

 caudal 216 mm.; length of head 96 mm.; snout 16 mm.; 

 eye diameter 12 mm.; interorbital width 15 mm.; humeral 

 spine 14 mm.; lengtli of rays of spinous dorsal, I 35 mm., 

 11 31 mm., Ill 24 mm., IV 23 mm., V?, VI?. 



Colour pale brown ; dorsal, caudal, and pectorals blackish. 



Lophius vomerinuSj Cuv. & Val. 



This species is founded on a single specimen from the Cape 

 of Good Hope, 660 mm. long. It is said to have no teeth 

 on the vomer, on which account M. Guichenot regards it as 

 the tjpe of a separate genus {Lophiopsis). The number of 

 rays, D. VI, 10, A. 9, P. 26, points to the probability that it 

 belongs to this genus, but it cannot yet be certainly regarded 

 as a distinct species. 



