MP:LAMriIAES FRONTOSUS. 67 



Dorsal oi'igin behind the middle of the length of the body without the 

 caudal. Anal origin on a vertical from the hinder end of the dorsal ; base 

 of anal little more than one third as long as that of the dorsal, equal in 

 length to one third of its distance from the base of the caudal. Pectorals 

 long, reaching backward of the anal origin. Ventrals below 'the bases of 

 the pectorals, moderately elongate. 



Scales large, thin, deciduous, cycloid, concentrically striate. 



Deep black over the surface and on the linings of the body cavity, body 

 probably with a purple or rusty tint in life. 



station. Latitude. Longitude. Deptli. Tempc-mture. Bottom. 



3398 1° 7' N. 80° 21' W. 1573 fathoms 36° F. Green ooze. 



Melamphaes frontosus sp. n. 



D. Ill, 14 ; A. I, 9 ; V. I, 8 ; P. 14 ; LI. 30 ; Ltr. 9. 



Shape resembling that of Ifeianqyha'cs nigrofulvus, Plate D, fig. 2 ; dis- 

 tinguished by a smaller eye, longer snout, larger mouth, larger dorsal 

 and smaller scales. Moderately stout and compressed, depth little less 

 than one fourth and width two elevenths of the length to the base of 

 the caudal. Head massive, five twelfths of the distance from the snout 

 to the base of the caudal, very convex on the top, blunt and rounded 

 anteriorly, lower edges of the mandibles forming a moderately prominent 

 longitudinal keel. Snout broad and deep, twice as long as the eye ; chin 

 longer, with a somewhat prominent angle at the symphysis. Nostrils small, 

 about halfway from the eye to the end of the snout. Mouth wide, descend- 

 ing obliquely backward ; maxillary reaching little backward of a vertical 

 from the hind border of the orbit. Teeth very small, equal, in a single 

 series on each jaw. Eye small, about one eighth as long as the head, or 

 one third as wide as the interorbital space. Skull thin and weak, with a 

 serrate-edged expansion along each side of the crown and forward on the 

 interocular area, another above each orbit and forward around the olfactory 

 sac and thence backward below each eye, another above each maxillary, 

 and two more below each mandible, the inner one of each pair forming 

 part of the longitudinal median submental keel ; preopercles with an 

 anterior ridge bearing two spines behind the angle of the mouth, and a 

 posterior ridge at the hinder edge bearing on the upper section about 

 eight fine longitudinal ridges each ending in a point also about fifteen 



