130 DEEP SEA FISHES. 



and slender posteriorly. The length of the body cavity is about twice the 

 length of the head ; the total length is ten times the depth. Head long, 

 one sixth of the total, subquadrate in transsection behind the orbits, a triOe 

 deeper than wide, slightly arched from snout to nape. Parietal region 

 broad, flattened; skull with a low median keel, and a narrow interorbital 

 space about two thirds as wide as the eye. Snout nearly twice the length 

 of the eye, broadened above the jaws, somewhat prominent above the 

 end. Mouth wide, horizontal ; cleft extending little backward of a vertical 

 from the anterior edge of the orbit ; maxillary subtending half of the 

 eye. Teeth small, conical, in villiform bands on jaws, vomer, and palatines, 

 outer series a little the larger. Eye medium, one half as long as the 

 snout on the largest specimen and three fourths on the smallest. Oper- 

 culum small, witli a membranous flap and a flexible produced upper angle. 

 Dorsal fin higher toward the middle of its length, originating above the 

 axil of the pectoral. Anal origin below the nineteenth ray of the dorsal. 

 Caudal not distinct from dorsal and anal, as long as the eye, sharp pointed. 

 Pectorals moderately broad, half as long as the head, blunt pointed, ends 

 of rays protruding as a fringe. Scales very small, absent from head and 

 shoulders. Lateral line not apparent. Length nineteen and one hidf 

 inches. 



The smallest specimen differs in certain respects from the foregoing. 

 The head is two elevenths of the total length, the snout is about one and 

 one half times as long as the eye, the maxillary does not reach to a ver- 

 tical from the middle of the orbit, and the scales encroach on the bases 

 of the fins only in the posterior third of the length, near the caudal. The 

 decrease in depth in the hinder portion of the body is very regular to 

 the slender extremity of the tail. Pectorals short, three fifths as long as 

 the head, rounded and fringed on the hind border. Teeth conical, outer 

 series of upper jaws much and of lower jaws but little larger. The differ- 

 ences seen on these individuals are mainly such as would exist between 

 young and old, viz., shorter snout, larger eye, longer head as compared 

 with tail, and fewer scales on the bases of the fins. Length of smallest 

 specimen twelve inches. 



Color dark brown or blackish, muscular portions lighter, fins darker. 



