38 DR. A. CARTE ON THE GENUS CHIASMODON. [Jan. 23, 



natives have names for both of them, so that neither of them can be 

 considered rare." 



It may be expected, before concluding these notes, that some 

 theory or explanation should be offered on the interesting problem 

 of how the larger fish (S. macrolepidotusl) became enclosed in the 

 interior of the smaller (C niyerl); but I am disposed to think it 

 more judicious, until further information on the habits and anatomy 

 of the latter is obtained, to leave this an open question. 



I believe that prior to this there have been but two other, and 

 much smaller, specimens obtained, by Mr. Johnson and the Rev. 

 R. T. Lowe at Madeira ; and they are described as taken at a depth 

 of from 200 to 300 fathoms, whereas it will be seen by Sir L. 

 M'Clintock's letter that he does not consider the present specimen 

 a deep-water fish, nor does he consider it to be so rare, at least 

 near the island of Dominica, as Mr. Johnson found his specimens 

 to be at Madeira. I trust that further specimens, which I expect to 

 receive through the aid of Sir Leopold M c Clintock, will satisfactorily 

 determine both these problems. 



Dr. Gimther added the following remarks to this paper : — 



1 . The fish described is undoubtedly identical with Chiasmodas 

 niger, Johnson, as I had supposed at once when the figure was shown 

 to me. 



2. The fish swallowed is most probably ScopeJus macrolepidotus, 

 Johnson ; but as it is still enveloped in the membranes of the sto- 

 mach of the swallower and doubled up, some doubt as regards its 

 identification may be entertained. 



3. The specimen examined by Mr. Johnson was obtained under 

 similar circumstances as that received from Dominica ; it had in its 

 stomach another, pelagic fish, nearly twice its own length. 



4. The specimen obtained by the Rev. R. T. Lowe was taken at 

 a depth of 312 fathoms, which is sufficient proof that the species is 

 a deep-sea fish. 



5. All deep-sea fishes may accidentally be carried upwards to the 

 surface of the water ; the efforts of one of their struggling victims to 

 escape from their jaws may cause them to ascend with it beyond the 

 horizontal zone which they usually inhabit ; and when once beyond 

 it, and under a greatly diminished pressure, they become as helpless 

 as a man who ascends to a great height in a balloon, and therefore 

 are easily picked up. This explains the fact that all the specimens 

 known of Saccopharynx and Melanocetus — deep-sea fishes with the 

 same extensible stomach as Chiasmodits — were found with large 

 fishes in their stomachs. The specimens swallowed were found in 

 each case to be iu a very early state of digestion ; and one was so 

 well preserved that it was recognized and described as the type of a 

 new genus. 



6. The circumstance that the fishermen of Dominica have names 

 for the two fishes does not prove their common occurrence. All our 

 rarest British fish, like the " King of the Herrings," &c, have names. 

 However, from what Sir L. M c Clintock savs, both these extraordi- 



