2098 Bulletin 4.7, United States National Museum. 



2435. EUMICROTBEMUS SPINOSUS (Miiller). 



Head 2|; depth If. D. VI, 11; A. 10; P f 21; branchiostegals 6. Body 

 exceedingly robust, abruptly compressed posteriorly; the length of the 

 head less than its height; crown convex, orbit large, less than -J- of the 

 length of the head. Mouth moderate, reaching a vertical from the foward 

 margin of the orbit. Teeth small, simple, subconical, in a narrow baud. 

 On younger examples the anterior dorsal is quite distinct, and does not form 

 a continuous arch with the outline of the back in front of it, as in the Lump, 

 but aged specimens approach the latter more nearly in these respects. 

 Between the 2 dorsals the space is less than base of first. Caudal subtrun- 

 cate on its posterior margin, the angles rounded off; all the fins with 

 rounded margins. Each of the conical tubercles with which the skin is 

 covered is rough, with small projections on its sides and base; some of the 

 tubercles in diameter of base measuring nearly or quite as much as width 

 of orbit; the largest appearing in a group of 8 or 9 on the middle of the 

 flank, and in several series from the crown to the base of the second dorsal ; 

 one of the large ones standing at each side of the space between the dorsals ; 

 a couple of moderate-sized ones seen in front of the shoulder, those on the 

 entire caudal region smaller, as also those below the head and body. A 

 young example, about 1J inches in length, has a similar outline in trans- 

 verse section as wide as high, is abruptly compressed behind the abdomen, 

 and shows the first dorsal as free and distinct as the second ; back some- 

 what arched under the base of the anterior; interorbital space slightly 

 concave, \ wider than the orbit, and narrower than the disk; disk 

 nearly \ wider than the orbit. Entire body covered with irregular- 

 sized spiny tubercles; on the sides of each tubercle the small spines 

 slender and bristle-like, and their development comparatively greater 

 than that obtaining among them on older examples. Later in life it is the 

 central portion or cone of the tubercle that develops, while the lateral 

 outgrowths remain small. On the young individuals the larger scales 

 occupy the spaces behind the pectorals, above the opercles, and at the 

 sides of the first dorsals. Dr. Gunther, 1880, figures some young specimens 

 an inch in length, some with tubercles, others without them, and shows 

 the fins to be angular early in life. The color is olivaceous to brownish, 

 very likely reddish in life, clouded with darker. From the material before 

 us, this species appears to be less compressed than either Cyclopterus lumpus 

 or Eumicrotremus orl)is. In a transverse section, in front of the first dor- 

 sal, it is nearly round, whereas in either of the others such a section is 

 considerably higher than wide. Compared with them in regard to length, 

 it may be described as elongate. How much of this difference in form is to 

 be credited to individual variation we can not at present determine. Bear- 

 ing in mind the variations seen in a lot of specimens of C. lumpus, it does 

 not seem at all impossible that E. spwosus and E. orbis may have to be 

 united, as has been suggested by several authors, but unless other speci- 

 mens show closer approaches than these, they are certainly better kept 

 separate. (Garman.) 



Mr. Dresel gives the following notes on a specimen, 90 mm. long, from 

 the stomach of a halibut in Davis Straits : 



