Fishes taken hi/ the ' Oceana.' 39 



Faroe Cliannel. It lias already been taken in British waters 

 by the 'Flying Fox' (Giinther, iVnn. & Mag. Nat. Hist, 

 ser. 6, iv. p. 415, 1889). 



It seems to us by no means improbable that A. hemi~ 

 gymnus, Cocco, may only be the young of A. Olfersi, Cuv. ; 

 such specimens of the former as we have seen are all smaller 

 than the smallest specimen of the latter of which we can find 

 any record^ and the differences relied on to separate the two 

 species — namely, [a) the greater length of the caudal region 

 and [b) the proportionately longer pectoral fins of A. hemi- 

 gi/mnus — appear to be characters which may well be only the 

 signs of a ti-ansition from such a larva as is now under con- 

 sideration to the adult A. Olfersi. We have not at present 

 access to sufficient material to do more than suggest the 

 possible identity of the two species. 



Gonostoma microdon, Gvinther. 



A small Gonostoma, 33 mm. in length, although somewhat 

 damaged, may be identified with reasonable certainty as 

 belonging to this species. G. microdon has an almost cosmo- 

 politan distribution, and, although it appears to be by no 

 means uncommon in the deeper parts of the North Atlantic, 

 the present record is the first from the British Area. It is 

 impossible to say at what depth the present specimen was 

 taken, as the net containing it fished from 1275 fath. to the 

 surface ; its condition suggests that it may have been taken 

 at a considerable depth. 



Nerophis cequoreus, L. 



A single specimen 70 mm. in length was taken at Station 4/ 

 in a net which fished from 1275 fathoms to the surface ; there 

 is nothing to show at what depth the specimen was taken. 

 Further specimens of this species have been captured in deep 

 water on the Porcupine Bank by the Department of Agricul- 

 ture for Ireland's S.S. ' Helga,' and in the Bay of Biscay by 

 H.M.S. ' Research,' and we refrain from dealing fully with 

 the question of the occurrence of N. cequoreus in deep water 

 until the further material thus obtained has been worked out. 



At a length of 70 mm. the young N. cequoreus still retains 

 a vestige of pectoral fins ; it difl'ers markedly from the adult 

 and resembles a Syngnathus'va. that the longitudinal ridges of 

 the body are well marked and are prolonged into backwardly 

 directed spines at the posterior edge of each body-ring, so 

 that the postanal portion of the body has a serrated appear- 

 ance. The smooth and rounded appearance of the adult 



