CHIASMODON SUBNIGER. 73 



its habits from other species of the genus. A depth of 12C0 fathoms is 

 noted in connection with Bathydraco of the "Challenger" collection; all of 

 the other depths on the list are less than 350 fathoms. 



TRACHINID^. 

 Chiasmodon subniger sp. n. 



D. 10 + 28; A. 28; V. 5(G); P. 15. 



The similarity in outlines existing between this species and Chiasmodon 

 nigcr Johns, is very close ; so close in fact that with the likeness in other 

 respects it apparently becomes necessary to modify the accepted diagnosis 

 of the genus sufficiently to admit the form here described. Body elongate, 

 compressed, body cavity more than half the total length without the caudal. 

 Stomach and walls of abdomen very distensible. Head medium, naked, 

 more than one fourth of the entire length, half as deep as long, half as 

 wide as deep, throat narrow, sides nearly vertical ; top with a shallow 

 subtriangular concavity enclosed by low ridges on the interorbital space 

 ending in a sharp angle between the olfactories, and another subcordate 

 one on the parietal region. Snout narrow, one and one half times the 

 length of the orbit, pointed, lower jaws longer. Nostrils nearer to the eye 

 than to the end of the snout. Mouth very wide, cleft rising slightly 

 forwards; maxillary two thirds as long as the head, narrow. Teeth 

 slender, acicular, unequal, depressible, widely set ; in two series on the 

 upper jaw, anterior pair crossing one another in X-shape when depressed ; 

 in a single series on the lower jaws, anterior two or three pairs large; pal- 

 atines few, movable ; vomerines small, erect. Tongue narrow, paddle- 

 shaped. Eyes lateral, large, about one sixth of the length of the head, 

 above the middle of the maxillary. Gills four; gill openings wide; 

 membranes hardly united; gill covers wide, edges membranous, ending 

 in a narrow rounded flap above the base of the pectoral. 



Skin thickly beset with fine spinuloid scales presenting a pilose appear- 

 ance. Lateral line Avell developed on the head, in a groove on the body. 



Anterior dorsal short, separated from the second dorsal by a notch, 

 hinder rays shorter, origin one length of the eye backward from that 

 of the pectorals, of ten rays; second dorsal long, origin nearly half way 

 from snout to base of caudal, decreasing in height backward ; anal long, 

 origin below second or third ray of soft dorsal ; caudal three fourths as 



