120 DEEP SEA FISHES. 



caudal long, acuminate. The caudal section becomes very slender at some 

 distance in front of the base of the fin. Pectorals broad without a gap at 

 the bases of the rays, but with a notch in the lower half caused by shorter 

 rays ; ends of rays prolonged as filaments. No ventrals ; dissection exposes 

 a rudimentary pelvis immediately behind the humeral symphysis. These 

 pelvic elements are short and deep, as shown on Plate XXIX., fig. 3. 



Very likely the movements effected by the strong bands of muscle from 

 the nape over the top of the head are those of rooting or grubbing with 

 the snout ; the soft filaments of the pectorals again indicate a probability 

 that the field of operations was in mud or ooze where a ventral disk 

 would be ineffectual. All things considered, it appears most probable 

 that the species of Paraliparis dwell on the softest portions of the sea 

 bottom ; such a dwelling place will most reasonably explain the loss of 

 the ventral disk. 



Head and belly black ; fins blackish ; body over the muscular portions 

 lighter, somewhat greyish. 



Total leno;th four and one half inches. 



Paraliparis latifrons sp. n. 

 Plates XXVJI., XXVIII. figs. 2-2 f. 



Br. r. 6 ; D. 55 ; A. 47-49 ; V. 0, pelvis rudimentary ; P. 18, 1, 1, 4 to 5. 



Body much compressed, greatest deptli near one fifth of the total length, 

 tapering rapidly from the nape, where it descends somewhat abruptly, and 

 becoming sleuder behind the middle of the length. Head comparatively 

 large, nearly one sixth of the total length, deep at the occiput, high at the 

 nape, broad and convex on the forehead, wide at and behind the ej'es, one 

 tliird longer than wide, sides vertical. Snout short, massive, very broad, 

 thick, rounded, little produced beyond the mouth. Mouth large ; maxil- 

 lary reaching below the hind margin of the orbit. Teeth small, simple, 

 acute, in villiform bands of few rows. Eye large, one and one half times as 

 long as the snout, three tenths of the length of the head, one and one third 

 times the width of the skull between the eyes. Bones of the head very 

 thin and fragile ; top of skull descending forward, nearly plane, but top of 

 head rendered quite convex by the strong bands of muscle from the nape 



